


Transported

by CrazyFangirlOfLots



Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-14
Updated: 2016-03-28
Packaged: 2018-01-24 20:11:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 69,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1615595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyFangirlOfLots/pseuds/CrazyFangirlOfLots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She never had a family. She never had a real home. She was never loved by anyone on Earth. She needed someone to call family, someplace to call home, to be loved. She needed. Little did she know that she was needed. Little did THEY know that they needed her. They thought she needed them, when it turns out they need her just as much. One event would change all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

THUMP

That was the door swinging open.

“Get up. You’re leaving today.”

That was my current, but soon to be previous, foster parent.

I was glad to be leaving. I didn’t want to spend any more time in this place.

Where was I going again? Oh yeah. Tranquility, California. Closest thing to the fictional home of the fictional Sam Witwicky. I was a huge fan of the TF’s, and even though I knew that none of the movies had actually been shot there at all, going there was actually pretty cool in my book. Sure, it was going to be a group home this time, which lacks foster ‘parents’, but that had to be better than here. I had recently been living in this foster ‘home’ with a family who was nice, but they’d had so many foster kids taken away from them that they had become numb. They didn’t even try to reach out to me.

At least I’d be moving to a group home for foster children (Why didn’t they just call it an orphanage?). Oh well. I’d had enough of ‘parents’, and I always did like staying with a big group of people my age; the roommate life.

On the downside, for the first time in my life, I’d have to leave my beloved Minnesota. I’d always been able to stay in the same general area. California would be a whole new thing. Why I was going across the country? God knows but I didn’t.

All this I thought while I hadn’t moved in bed. I was urging my body to get up, literally thinking to myself: Get up, get up. Finally it complied, though it screamed in protest. I sat up, hunched over with my head in my left hand for a second before turning to look at the clock.

7:00. AM.

I groaned and flopped back down onto the bed, thinking: Whyyyyyyyy? I hate getting up early. I didn’t even get up this early for school!

Well, do you want to get out of here or not? I asked myself. Besides, it’s not too horrible. I could be getting up earlier. This made me get up again, ready to go this time. I looked around for the pile of clothes I’d set out for today, which actually wasn’t hard to find. For once, the room wasn’t a complete pit. My messy rooms are different from most. Instead of a floordrobe, the floor of the room I stayed in usually was covered with papers. My papers. From stories that would never make it to fanfiction.com, to sketches of figments of my overactive imagination, to info I had once thought important printed off from the internet, my room looked like a tornado had passed through a paper mill and had dropped everything it had taken up onto my floor. And all of it was far too important or far too sentimental to recycle. All of it. The only reason it was clean was because I’d packed every last one of my precious papers into an old totebag that I would be keeping with me on my flight. All the much less significant things, like clothes and toiletries, were packed into a single suitcase. 

 

I don’t care if my clothes are in style, which they aren’t, I just care that they portray me as me, which usually meant baggy jeans, loose T-shirts, athletic shoes, and a cap. Some people think I look like a wannabe gangsta, but it’s what I’m most comfortable in. Another thing I care about is that, if my shirts are going to advertise something, it had better be something I like. No Abercrombie & Fitch for me, not that I’d have them if I wanted them. I was a foster kid after all. I liked to show my favorite bands, favorite characters, Christ, favorite movies, etc., but I didn’t have a lot to represent this stuff with, so I had to put my imagination to use.

For example: Today, in honor of my moving to a town named Tranquility, I had chosen to wear what I counted as my Bumblebee outfit. My outfit wasn’t as obvious as it could be. What I had was a black T-shirt, a yellow hoodie, a pair of steel gray jeans, a pair of back athletic shoes, a yellow new era cap with a black rim and a big red Autobot insignia on the side, a pair of small plastic blue retro earrings for ‘optics’, and a silver Autobot insignia necklace to top it all off.

After I found my clothes, I quickly got dressed and ran upstairs to grab a breakfast drink. After that I went back downstairs to clean up for the day. Very interesting, I know, but while I did that, I looked in the mirror, which is probably a good time to tell you what I look like. 

What I saw in the mirror was a ten-year-old girl, four foot six, thin, and weak for a girl her age. Her dull, dirty blonde hair reached the center of her back and her skin was pale but not pale enough for her ever to be goth. The only part of the girl that I thought looked attractive were her golden-brown eyes lined with naturally thick eyelashes. Pretty plain, but I guess I should be happy that I look decent. 

When I was done getting ready, I stopped what I was doing to look at myself in the mirror. I didn’t look happy, so I got an idea.

“Bond. James Bond. I like my Martini shaken, not stirred.” 

I smiled, then...

“Check on the rep, yep second to none!”

 

“You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? I’m the only one here, so, you must be talkin’ to me!”

 

“It talks! Did you hear that? Did anyone just hear that? It just talked!”  
“It always talks.”  
“Actually, it's getting him to shut up that's the trick.”  
“The moment there is nothing to be said, your Highness, I promise you, I will not say it.”  
“I don't know what kind of prank this is, but I want to wake up right now!”  
“Perhaps we could throw him back?”

 

“Let us find the dam snack bar. We should eat while we can.”  
“The dam snack bar?”  
“Yes. What is funny?”  
“Nothing. I could use some dam french fries.”  
“And I need to use the dam restroom.”  
“I do not understand.”  
“ And... I want to buy a dam T-shirt.”  
“Moooo.”  
“Did I just hear a cow?”  
“A dam cow?”

 

“MY CABBAGES!!!”

That last one made me fall into a fit of laughter. There, I thought to myself. That should keep me happy. I love doing quotes and acting them out. If anyone had been standing in the doorway watching, they’d probably have thought that I’m crazy. You probably think I’m crazy. Oh well, I probably am.

After I’d recovered from my laugh attack, I dragged my baggage out to the foster family’s car, pausing every now and then to laugh as more quotes popped into my head. They were already in it. I don’t think they meant to be mean, they probably just didn’t think it through. I tried not to let it bother me.

I tried.

I let my hair fall in front of my eyes before putting my cap on, the brim low on my face.

On the 3 hour long trip to the airport, (we didn’t live near any major ones), not much was said. The family stayed with me until all the security and junk were done, then we exchanged tearless goodbyes and they left me alone in the waiting room.

That hurt. A lot. How they had all been so ready came back to haunt me. They wanted to make sure I was there on time, so that they wouldn’t have to keep me. They were so ready to leave...to be rid of me...

No. I had to stay strong. I was done with this. Totally done with wanting a family. I didn’t need anybody but the Lord. Human families were a complete waste of time and only caused heartbreak. Thank goodness I was going to a group home. No parents. What a relief.

That’s what I told myself anyway.

While I was waiting for my flight, I occupied myself by watching other planes come in for landing and take off for the wild blue yonder. I thought to myself, Isn’t it funny that, even after watching Transformers movies so many times, I still am not afraid to fly. Far from it actually. See, I’ve always had this urge to fly; felt drawn to the sky. I’ve always loved the feeling of the wind in my face and the thrill of being high above the ground. Climbing stuff like rocks and trees were a habit of mine. They kept me closer to the sky. I wanted so badly to go skydiving, hang gliding, paraglideing, or even bunjee jumping one day, but that would have to wait until I was older. It always surprises me how even though I knew that most Decepticons took planes for their vehicle modes, I still wasn’t afraid of planes. It’s not like I have anything to fear, I thought to myself as I watched a jet come in for landing. Decepticons aren’t real, and even if they were, I smirked to myself. Not all of them chose aerial modes anyway.

That jet turned out to be my flight, and sometime later it was ready to board. Strangely, I found that not many people needed to fly from Minneapolis to San Francisco today. I had all three seats to myself, and there was no one across the aisle from me either. I thought: Huh. ... Score! I count having the entire seat to myself a plus because I am shy around new people. Having to sit with, and worse: talking with, complete strangers is not fun for me, and now I wouldn’t have to. Sweet.

Settling in, I decided to read some Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, one of my favorite books, until the plane took off. After we were in motion, I wouldn’t be able to read though. I get carsick when I read in moving vehicles, so after we took off I’d have to take a nap. Buckling myself into the window seat, I opened my book and followed Lucy into the wardrobe. 

When the plane, began moving down the runway, I left Edmund to the hands of the White Witch and looked out the window. I could see the buildings going by faster, and faster, and faster, and then smaller, and smaller, and smaller. I smiled as I watched the ground fall below, reveling in the, if minute, feeling of flight. 

“Today is a new day,” I quoted Chicken Little in a whisper.

I had no idea.

*

After the Earth had disappeared behind a cloud, I settled down on my three wonderful seats for a nap. My deep and satisfying sleep only lasted a few hours however. Soon I drifted into the light sleep where dreams happen, where I had a weird dream. 

I couldn’t remember anything of what I’d dreamed, but I woke with a jolt. To what? I wasn’t sure. Sometimes I woke from dreams with a jolt for no reason, and sometimes I wake because I swear I hear someone calling me. Usually though, I can tell who the voice belonged to and was able to place it in just another one of my overactive imagination’s antics.

Thinking this, I whisper-sang a verse from the song, The Rainbow Connection, sung by the one and only Kermit the Frog.

“Have you been half asleep  
And have you heard voices  
I've heard them calling my name  
Are these the sweet sounds that called  
The young sailors  
I think they're one and the same  
I've heard it too many times to ignore it  
There's something that I'm supposed to be”

 

Then I was cut off.

I felt something else. It started out as just the slightest of vibrations, accompanied by a soft humming. It pulsated its way into your body and shook your bones.

But then it grew.

I looked around, confused. I had never felt turbulence like this before. I’d never heard turbulence before either.

Then the freaky happened: my vision got blurry. Because everything began to vibrate that much! The humming got louder too, so that it sounded more like rumbling.

Eyes wide with fear, my sweaty hands fumbled to put my seatbelt on. Somehow I knew this wouldn’t help, but when you’re as scared as I was, any form of comfort is welcome. I forced hands to stop shaking and clung to my totebag with a death grip as the vibrating got faster...

“Attention passengers,” I could just barely hear the pilot’s voice come over the intercom. “We are experiencing some slight turbulence. Please remain seated.” The “put on seatbelts” sign flashed, but I couldn’t hear the tone that accompanied it because the rumbling turned to thundering and the vibrating got faster...

SLIGHT TURBULENCE?!?!?! I wanted to scream, but didn’t. Im not typically a screamer, but I almost did because the vibrating got faster...

A fear that I can honestly say that I’ve never had before attacked me so suddenly that my breath was knocked out of me as the vibrating got faster...

We’re decepticons attacking?

Faster...

No! I told myself, squeezing my eyes shut. I had to choke down a shriek as I began to mentally chant to myself: Decepticons aren’t real. Decepticons aren’t real. Decepticons aren’t real.

Faster...

As I tried not to pass out, I pleaded to God for my life.

Faster...

Decepticons aren’t real.

Faster...

Decepticons aren’t real.

Faster...

Decepticons aren’t real.

Faster...

God! Daddy!! PLEASE!!!

...

It stopped.

Very slowly, I opened my eyes.

It stopped. All of it. The vibrating, the thundering, all of it!

Something else stopped too; something familiar. And something new, nothing like I’d ever known before, began.

Shaking all over, I looked around the plane...and my jaw dropped.

No one, and I mean no one, had been effected! Some people had their seatbelts on, but other than that, no one was acting as if anything unusual had happened!!

“Hey,”

I jumped at the voice and I snapped around to look behind my seat.

A guy in his mid-twenties was looking over the back of my seat at me, his face full of concern. “Are you alright?” he asked.

I paused, embarrassed when I realized that I had been panting heavily. Swallowing hard, I said in a small voice, “Yeah, I’m fine.” All I could muster up was a weak smile. I said, “Quite the ride, huh?”, hoping that somehow I wasn’t alone in this, but the man looked at my funny, which only embarrassed me more, and said, “Yeah,” slowly. “The clouds can be pretty bumpy,” Then he sat back down, out of my sight. 

I blinked and turned back around. So. Alright then. I was alone in this.

Whatever it was.


	2. Chapter 2

“Excuse me sir, is there a Tranquility around here?”

“Yeah, in South Gate. Aren’t you a bit young to be travelling by yourself, kid?”

“I have money.”

“Do you have enough?”

“How much would you need?”

“My guess is fifty to sixty.”

Luckily my old foster family had given me $100 in case of emergencies. “Okay,” I said. “Take me there.”

I hadn’t slept again on the plane. Obviously. I couldn’t! There was no way, after a scare like that, that I’d ever be able to fall asleep on a plane again. If you had gone through that whole thing with me, you’d agree.

I swear, the rest of that flight had been terrible. At the slightest tremor, even the movement of the peanut cart passing by, (which by the way, I had some peanuts from it, and I was totally robbed of salt), I would jump a foot in my seat.

Needless to say, I had been scared out of my tiny ten-year-old mind.

Eventually the flight had ended, but I still hadn’t figured out what the heck had happened. I was actually around the lines of thinking that I had actually gone crazy. Bad crazy, I mean. Like funny farm crazy. At least, that’s what I had been thinking until I’d gotten off the plane.

Remember how I said that I was going to San Francisco? That’s because San Francisco is close to Fresno, which is where Tranquility is. Well, when I’d gotten off the plane, I saw a sign that read “Welcome to Los Angeles”. Okay, sometimes I can be very forgetful, but I _swear_ I was supposed to be in Frisco! If you know California, you know that LA was _far_ from where I was supposed to be.

I knew I had to get this figured out, so I decided to get my luggage quick before the crowd got too horribly large and then head up to the main desk.

Guess what? My luggage was lost. Great. Just great. Now I was all alone in LA, with nothing but my tote bag. Wait, all my security papers were in my tote bag, so I could still get this all sorted out? Right?

Wrong. They were gone too. I couldn’t prove that I’d even been on the plane. I’d be arrested as a stowaway if I went to the main desk. So _now_ I was all alone in LA, with nothing but my tote bag, which had nothing to offer. I had no proof that I gotten on the plane. Plus, no one was there to pick me up. I had to get _somewhere_ or someone might find me and ask questions, so I mustered up some courage and caught a cab.

While I was sitting there in the taxi, I tried to analyze my situation.

I’d read enough fanfictions online (don’t worry, only K to K+) to have realized what had happened by now: I had changed worlds. Okay okay now I know that sounds crazy, but what else could it be? It was the only thing that made sense, if you could call it sense. The super shivers on the plane, the change in flight destination, and the loss of my duffel bag and legal papers all fit under that category. Although, I did wonder: since impossible things had been happening, why had just my legal papers disappeared and not the whole bag?

Now. The question was: where _was_ I? Was I in a world I knew of, or would I be completely in the dark in this situation? I didn’t know, but since as far as I knew I was the only one who had gone through that strange experience on the plane, my guess was that I was in a world that I knew. That I was here for a reason.

 _So, which world is it?_ I wondered as I paid the driver, shouldered my tote bag and left the cab. While I walked to the curb, clutching my bag tightly, I thought, _I really hope this isn’t Percy Jackson’s world. I don’t know if I can deal if the Ancient Greek gods are real_ -

“GAH!” I screamed as I almost walked right into the side of a police car! I jumped back quickly. It was really close to the curb, especially considering that it was running and occupied. I was afraid that the policeman inside would confront me and bring me in. I wasn’t sure if they’d find anything about me, and if that was the case I’d be in big trouble. I looked at the policeman to see what he would do. He did not look too pleased with me, but he didn’t say anything and didn’t get out of the car. He had a strange, piercing, icy stare and a major moustache. I couldn’t help but think that he looked familiar...

 _No_ , I told myself, shaking my head slightly. _If I’m in another world, I won’t recognize anybody_.

I looked at the cop’s car, and was a nice car! A very nice, Ford Saleen Mustang. Black and white of course, car #643. Why did the description of this car sound familiar also?

The policeman turned away from me and drove off. But as the car rolled away, I had just enough time to see the words printed on the side of the car.

“ _To punish and enslave..._ ”

It hit me like a ton of bricks. I literally fell on my bum in shock as the world around me stopped. The only sound I heard was my own breathing, which came out in a puff of exhalation. Slowly, thinking it couldn’t be true, I turned my head just in time to see the cop car disappear around the corner.

_But that means that was…_

I didn’t think to run; my feet were already moving. Run. That’s all I could do. Run where? Run to who? I didn’t know. Just run. Run away.

 

People flashed before me one the sidewalk. Some of them looked down to wonder why a ten-year-old was running like her life depended on it from nothing, but no one did anything, and most didn’t even acknowledge me.

 

Seeking some sort of hiding place, I ducked into a back alley. I pressed my back to the brick wall, panting for breath, before slumping to the ground and covering my head with my arms.

 

This wasn’t happening. It just wasn’t! I couldn’t _really_ be in a world where giant, _evil_ sentient robots from outer space who thirsted for Autobot Energon and human blood existed.

Out of anxiety I had grabbed my Autobot symbol necklace with my sweaty hands. Now I looked at it in my palm. It had been hanging in front of my shirt, right smack dab in the middle of my chest, for the whole world to see. And Barricade he, his holographic projection, he had seen me. Looked at me. Had he seen it? He hadn’t shown any reaction if he had, but I wasn’t so sure that the projection could convey his emotions. His actual body, the car hadn’t attacked me, but then again Barricade was on a mission, and in public too.

Which exactly where I wasn’t.

I shot to my feet and looked desperately around the alley, and luckily there was no Con to be seen. However, if he _had_ seen my necklace, I was definitely a target now. Me. I was small, weak, and desperately afraid. And there was a Decepticon after me.

What could I do? What _should_ I do? I needed to calm down and think. _Think. Think!_ I told myself desperately as I rubbed my necklace for comfort. _Okay, remember both sides. If there are Decepticons, there are Autobots too._ So how could I get to one? I didn’t exactly have the Bots on speed dial, and I most certainly didn’t have a phone. _Figure out where you are._ Easy; Tranquility, California. The Transformers’ one, near LA. Sam Witwicky’s hometown. _Figure out **when** you are. _ Well since Barricade was still in public, must not have joined up with the rest of the Cons yet. So Sam hasn’t been chased yet.

I looked up. _So if I’m lucky,_ and walked back out of the alley, _so very lucky,_ and looked to the left.

Call it luck, if that’s what you like, but the way that rusty, yellow and black racing striped, 1977 Chevy Camaro drove down the street only a block away from me, billowing exhaust behind it, at that very moment, I don’t know if that’s what I’d call it.

Instantly I ran after it. The car’s windows were rolled all the way down, and I had seen just enough to know that the car had no driver. Which meant that Sam hadn’t bought it yet.

“Wait!” I called as I ran after the Camaro, none too loud because I didn’t want Barricade to hear in case he was still nearby. “Wait! Wait!” It was getting away, so I didn’t have much of a choice. “BUMBLEBEE!”

His breaks were slammed at tire-screeching speed, and he came to a complete stop. The cars behind him braked and swerved, honking furiously before turning around the yellow car when he didn’t move. Slowly, his wheels turned and he drifted slowly up to the curb, then backed up until I was staring through the window into the driver’s empty seat, where he came to a stop.

“Bumblebee.” I breathed in awe, staring, denying myself the urge to touch him to make sure he was real.

I shook myself out of my gawking state and said in hushed tones, “Listen! You don’t know me, but I know you. Look, do you,” I fumbled with my necklace and held it out. “Do you see this? I’m on your side. Have you found Sam yet?”

The radio whirred for a moment, before letting out a recording of a voice saying, “We’ve seen him…have yet to make contact.” It reeled and switched to convey the message.

It was him. It was really him.

“I know where you need to go.” I told him. “Bolivia's Finest Quality Used Cars and Petting Zoo. But you have to hurry! Barricade’s here already; you have to get to Sam before he does!”

Nothing happened for a moment, then the car door popped open. “Get in.” said the radio.

I stared at the door for a second. “You want me to come with you?” I asked. Sure that’s what I’d wanted, and what I’d hoped for, but I still couldn’t quite comprehend it.

“Don’t know you…seem to know a lot…important information…too vulnerable out here by yourself…take you to the others.” Splurged the radio.

After staring, for another idiotic moment, I finally, carefully, entered the car and sat in the driver’s seat. _There’s no way this is happening,_ I thought as he door shut and began rolling back down the street, me with him. _There’s no way he could actually be here… No, I’ve got to stop calling him he. He does have a name. Bumblebee. Say it, Bum-ble-bee._

“There!” I said suddenly, pointing at a familiar green convertible as it pulled out of the Porsche dealership and onto the street in front of us. “That’s Sam and his dad, Bumblebee!” I forced myself to say it. “They’re on their way now.”

Bumblebee turned up the radio, I guess to help fit in, and followed said car into, sure enough, Bolivia's Finest Quality Used Cars and Petting Zoo. I could actually hear Sam and his dad talking ahead of us.

“I don’t wanna talk to you for the whole rest of this thing.”

“Ha ha! Come it’s just a practical joke!”

“It’s not a funny joke.”

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

“I’d duck if I were you.” Said Bumblebee via radio.

I was about to ask why, but then I realized that it might be a bit hard for Sam to buy a car if a ten year old girl was sitting in the front seat. “Where can I hide?” I asked as I stood up in the moving car, not really comfortable with the fact that I was crawling around inside someone.

The back seat popped up to reveal that common hole between the cabin of the car and the trunk. “Head on in.” the radio told me. So I backed myself in feet-first into the trunk, but I didn’t go in completely. Pressing my head to the bottom of the car, I closed the back seat almost all the way, but left it open just enough for me to stick some of my face out and listen to what was going on outside.

“MANNY!” I heard Bobbie Bolivia’s voice crack as he yelled.

“What?”

“Get your cousin out of that d*** clown suit, he’s havin’ a heat stroke again. Scarin’ white folks.”

“I’m hot, makeup’s melting, burns my eyes.”

I couldn’t hear Sam, Ron, and Bobby’s conversation for a bit, but I couldn’t help but giggle when I heard the clown honking his horn while Manny ran after him, yelling “Come back here!” In the fear and shock of finding out where I was and getting to safety, I had forgotten this scene.

Bumblebee’s engine revved a bit before coming to a stop. Even though I couldn’t see it, I hoped the Volkswagen Beetle, a tribute to G1 Bumblebee, was still next to him even in this world.

“Hey Mammy!” Bobby yelled, and I knew his mammy was flipping him off. “Aw don’t be like that. If I had a rock I’d bust your head, *****. I tell you man, she deaf, you know.” He laughed his weird, awkward laugh. “Well ova here,” I heard them all coming close enough to walk around Bumblebee. “Every piece of car a man might want or need.”

“This aint bad.” I heard Sam’s hand run across the top. “This one’s got racing stripes.”

“Yeah. It got racing-…Yeah what’s this? What the heck is this? I don’t know nothin’ about this car. Manny!”

“What?”

“What is this? This car, check it out.” Sam opened the driver’s door and looked in and I tried to quiet my breathing.

“I donno boss, I never seen that! That’s loco!”

“Don’t go Ricky Ricardo on me Manny, find out!”

Sam was in the car now, no doubt rubbing the dirt off the Autobot insignia on the steering wheel. “Feel’s good.” He said.

“How much?” Ron asked.

Bobby made a ‘fsst’ sound and braced himself on the side of the car. “Well,” He clicked his tongue. “Considerin’ the semi-classic nature of the vehicle, with the slick wheels and the custom paint job,”

“Yeah but the, the paint’s faded.” Sam pointed out.

Bobby leaned in the passenger window. “Yeah, but it’s custom.”

“It’s custom faded?” I mouthed the line along with Sam.

“Well this is your first car, wouldn’t expect you to understand.” Bobby stood up. “Five grand.”

“Nah, I’m not payin’ over four.” Said Ron. “Sorry.”

Bobby bent down again. “Kid, come on get out, get out of the car.”

“No no no! You said cars pick their drivers!” Sam protested.

“Well sometimes they pick a driver with a cheap-*** father. Outa the car.” Bobby patted the side twice and stood with a grunt. “Now this one here for four g’s is a beaut.” He said. Hopefully it was the bug’s door that he was opening.

“There’s a Fiesta with racing stripes over there.” Ron pointed out to his son.

“No, I don’t wanna Fiesta with racing stripes.” Sam replied as he got out.

“Do something Bumblebee.” I whispered, not knowing if he heard me or not, with a grin on my face.

“This is a classic engine, right here. I sold a car the other day-” Bobby was interrupted when Sam slammed the door shut and Bumblebee opened the opposite door and smacked into hard into the bug that it honked, almost in indignation, as it slammed into a rack full of jugs on the other side and knocked it over. I giggled.

“Geez, holy cow.” Ron exclaimed.

“Hey, no no no, don’t worry-”

“Are you alright?”

“I get a sludge hammer and knock this right out. Ey-ey Manny! Get your clown cousin an’ then get some hammers and come bang this stuff out, baby!” Bobby laughed that awkward laugh again.

Bumblebee’s radio whirred. “Greater than man.” It said as he tried to find the right frequency. I knew enough to plug my ears.

“That one’s my favorite. Drove all the way from Alabammy.”

“Don’t let them get away.” I murmured in anticipation.

That’s when Bumblebee found the right frequency. I think he said “Roll.” and then turned it up.

When the volume reached its high-pitched max, through my plugged ears I heard the sound of the glass of lots of cars shattering all over the place, all but Bumblebee’s.

The sound-pulse he had emitted ended in a very Cybertronian sound, but since everyone was ducking for cover I don’t think it was noticed. One car alarm went off and continued climbing in pitch until it turned off with a chocking-chirping sound. I think Bumblebee may have killed it.

Bobby B stumbled around a bit, gawking at what had just happened, before his voice cracked, “Four thousand!”

I bit my lip to keep from laughing, but a sigh of relief was allowed to escape. Yet I knew that if this was where I was going to be, I wouldn’t have anything to be relieved about.


	3. Chapter 3

It was a bit difficult keeping hidden after that, while Sam and his dad bought the car. The real scare was when they checked the trunk. By the time Bumblebee and I realized what they were about to do, they were almost there already. Bumblebee re-opened the back seats enough for me to scramble out just before they opened the trunk, and I laid there, hiding as much under the back seat as I could. Then when they shut the trunk again, I had to roll back under in record time before they could notice that the seats had moved. I felt like the guys rolling under that fire-and-knives trap in that one movie…I think it was Indiana Jones.

After that it was better, but I still had to be very quiet and keep hidden while guys finished the examination, finally bought the car, and drove it home. When Sam got out of the car at home, I sighed with relief, but then I groaned when I remembered how long I’d have to be under there.

“Are you alright?” the radio asked once Sam had gone inside.

I’d almost forgotten where I was… No, that’s a lie. It was hard for me to forget that I was in an Autobot’s alt form, but it still startled me.

“Yeah,” I answered. “I just remembered how long I’ll have to be in here for.”

“How would you know that?” Bumblebee asked.

I pursed my lips for a second. “It’s…it’s kind of hard to explain-” I was cut off when Sam’s dad and mom, Judy, came out into the front yard. If I knew the Transformers movie, and I did, they wouldn’t be leaving either. But thankfully I didn’t have to wait long before the plot picked up.

“Ron, this one is uneven.” I heard Judy, undoubtable referring to one of the stones in Ron’s precious path.

“Yeah, probably.” Ron answered, not really paying attention.

“This one is wobbly.”

“Yeah, I’ll take care of that real soon.”

“Oh, couldn’t we have hired a professional?”

The jingle of keys and triumphant laughter announced Sam’s presence.

“Aw Sam-”

“What?”

“I do not like foot prints on my grass.”

“What footprint- There’s no footprints!”

“That’s why I built my path, so why don’t you go from my grass onto my path, kay?”

“It’s family grass, Dad.”

“Yeah, well, when you have your own grass you’ll understand.”

“This, this, I can’t deal with it anymore.” Sam transitioned to talking about Mojo’s bling.

“What?” Judy asked, smiling, I knew.

“You’re putting girl jewelry on a boy dog. He’s got enough self-esteem issues as a Chihuahua, Mom.”

“That’s his _bling!_ ” Judy played up the word comically.

Sam bailed and headed back for Bumblebee, and I held my breath as he opened the door as Judy yelled, “I want you home at eleven o’clock!”

“Yeah alright.” Sam answered as he shut the door.

“Eleven o’clock.” Ron repeated for emphasis.

“Please, for the love of God, drive safely!” Judy called over the sound of Bumblebee’s engine turning on.

“Seat belt on!”

As Sam drove Bumblebee out of the driveway, I knew and absurd amount of dirty brown exhaust was pouring out from the car and flowing over the Witwicky’s yard.

“Wow.” I mouthed the lines that I knew were taking place but could no longer hear. “You are so cheap. Ah it’s his first car. It’s supposed to be like that.”

That’s when I remembered what would be going on in Qatar at this moment. Lennox, Epps, Fig, Donnelly and all the rest would be out in the desert, with Scorponok trailing them. Fig and Donnelly wouldn’t make it. I didn’t want them to die. I didn’t want anyone to die. They didn’t’ need to die. They were highly trained soldiers. They should have seen Scorponok coming. It didn’t make any sense for them not to see it. It should never have happened.

 _Maybe that’s why I’m here,_ the thought entered my head. _Maybe I’m supposed to keep all those deaths from happening. So many people dying. And Jazz…_ Jazz didn’t need to die. He had been a hugely important character in the original series, and Michael Bay had just cast him aside like he was nothing. _No._ I wouldn’t let that happen. I didn’t know how or if it was even possible for me to change anything, but I had to try.

In that moment, I decided that, as long as I was here, I wouldn’t let anyone die.

As for the guys in Qatar, there wasn’t much I could do for them. So, since I was stuck in Bumblebee’s trunk anyway, I prayed for their safety, for their lives, for them to come home in one piece and be able to see their families again. I wanted Fig to taste his momma’s gator again. I wanted Donnelly to get his flat beer, cold hot dog and baseball on weekends again. I wanted them all to come home.

* * *

 

After Sam picked up Miles Lancaster, they drove down to the lake. I could see the setting sun shine through the windows as we drove along the cliff side. I knew what was coming up, and it was bound to be interesting.

“Dude are you sure we’re invited to this party?” Miles asked.

“Of course Miles,” Sam said in an oh-my-gosh-you’re-so-stupid tone. “It’s a lake. Public property. Omigawd, omigawd dude, Mikaela’s here. Just don’t do anything weird, alright?” Sam said as he parked Bumblebee and go out.

“Fat chance of that,” I giggled softly to myself.

“I’m good right?”

“Yeah, you’re good.”

“Okay.”

I desperately wanted to hear this conversation, so I took the risk of sticking my head a bit further out from beneath the seats to listen.

“Hey bro, dat car, it’s nice. Hey.” Trent DeMarco yelled at Sam. I knew it was right about now that Miles was climbing up that tree, and I couldn’t help but giggle. “So what’re you guys doin’ here?” Trent asked.

“… We’re here to climb this tree.”

I giggled again. Poor Sam.

“I-I see that. It looks, looks fun.”

“Yeah.”

“You know so I-I thought I recognized you. You tried out for the football team last year, right?”

I bit my lip to keep from laughing out loud as I remembered Sam’s flashback of said event.

“Oh, nonono, that? No. Heheheh that wasn’t like a, a real tryout. I was researching a book I was writing.”

“Oh yeah.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah what’s it about? Sucking at sports?”

“Haha, no it’s about the link between brain damage and football.” I murmured the line along with Sam. “No it’s-it’s a good book. Your-your friends will love it. You know, it’s got mazes in it and, you know, little coloring areas, sections, pop up pictures, it’s a lot of fun.”

“That’s funny.” Trent said threateningly.

“Kay, okay, you know what? Stop.” I finally heard Mikaela Banes talk as she came between Brent and Sam.

“Hey, guys, I know of a party. Let's go, let's head.” Brent said, on the retreat.

“You gotta get outa the tree right now.” I just barely heard Sam say to Miles. “Get-, just, get outa the tree right now, please. What’re you doin’?”

“Didja see that dismount? All the chicks were watchin’!”

I facepalmed from my place in the trunk. _Geez_ Miles.

“You’re makin’ me look like an idiot. We both look like such idiots right now.”

Right now Mikaela and Trent would be having their little disagreement. “I can’t even tell you how much I’m not your little bunny.” She’d say. “Okay. You’ll call me.” He’d say. “No she won’t.” I said.

Miles proceed to, gracefully, I might add, fall through the passenger side window back into the car, while Sam stayed outside and leaned against Bumblebee, looking towards Mikaela, who would be walking away.

“Is he just gonna let her walk?” I wondered a little too out-loud, and Miles turned around and looked at the back seat. I froze in alarm and did not breathe. I felt so thankful when Miles just turned back around and said, “You’re car’s creepy dude.”

At this point Bumblebee decided to help Sam out. So he tuned the radio till it caught the right song. “ _Who’s gonna drive ya hoooooome_ ,”

“Hey man, what’s wrong with your radio?” Miles asked.

“ _Tonight._ ”

“I’m gonna drive her home tonight.” Sam mumbled, more like something unimportant rather than if he’d had an idea.

“What? She’s an evil jock concubine man, let her hitchhike!”

“She lives ten miles from here it’s my only chance, okay?” Sam ran to the car door, more excited about this now. “You gotta be understanding here, alright?”

“Alright, alright, we’ll put her in the back, I’ll be quiet.” Miles said as if that’d be an acceptable answer.

“Didju just say put her in the back?”

“I-I called shotgun!”

“I’m not putting her in the back. You gotta get out of my car.”

“That’s a party foul!”

“Yeah, what rules?”

“Bros before hos!”

“Miles, I’m begging you, get out of my car, kay?” Sam put his hands together with a clap.

“You, you can’t do this to me!”

“You gotta get out of my car right now.”

I’m still not really sure how Sam got Miles out of the car, but the next thing I knew we were driving off after Mikaela, with poor Miles left standing on the curb.

“ _Who’s gonna come around,_ ” the radio sang, and I thought about how nice Bumblebee was for doing this.

“Mikaela!” Sam called out as he drove up to her. “It’s Sam!”

“ _When you break?_ ”

“Witwicky?” Sam tried to get her to remember his name, while she didn’t even look at him. “I hope I didn’t get you stranded or anything.” Which made me wonder why he’d say that. He hadn’t caused her and Trent’s disagreement. Then again, he didn’t know that. “You sure? So listen, I was wondering if-” I plugged my virgin ears. “I mean, uh, give ya a ride home. In my car, to your house.”

When Mikaela hesitated, he leaned over and opened the door for her. “There ya go.” He said as she got in, clearing his throat before driving away.

I grinned in anticipation. I didn’t care much for the mushy stuff, but these two were cute.

“So, uh,” Sam awkwardly tried to strike up a conversation, clearing his throat again.

“I can’t believe that I’m here right now.” Mikaela said as she looked out the window.

Sam looked at her, back, forward and back at her. “You can duck down if you want, it won’t hurt my feelings.” He said.

“Oh. No no no, I didn’t mean,” she gave a small laugh. “I didn’t mean here with you, I just meant here, like in this situation.”

“Oh.”

“Just this same situation that I’m always in because, I don’t know, I guess I just have a weakness for hot guys. For, for tight abs, and-nd-nd and big arms.” She motioned with her hands, but she wouldn’t look at Sam and I thought she might be embarrassed.

“Big arms?” Sam asked, and I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing at what was about to happen. “Well, uh, there’s a couple new additions in the car. Like, I just put in that light there,” he said, and pointed backwards in a way that he was very obviously flexing. What made it even better was the fact that he was looking at said arm, watching it shake as he tried to flex it bigger than it could physically handle. “And that disco ball.” He pointed to the front. “So the light reflects off the disco ball.”

I bit my lip harder and attempted to keep silent.

“Uh huh,” Mikaela said slowly, the flexing not having gone unnoticed by her, but not in a good way.

“Yeah.”

After a moment of silence, Mikaela asked, “Are you, are you new to school? This year? It’s your first year?”

“Oh, no no, uh, we’ve been in the same school since first grade.” Sam said awkwardly.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“No.”

“Yeah a long time.”

“Well do, do we have any classes together?”

“Uh yeah, yeah, history, language arts, math, science-”

“Sam!” Mikaela remembered.

“Sam, yeah!”

“Sam Wilkicky.”

“Wit. Wicky.” Sam said patiently.

“Gawd, you know what? I’m so sorry, I just-”

“No, it’s cool.”

“I just didn’t recognize you.”

“Yeah, well, you know, that’s understandable.”

Seeing that Sam was basically failing, Bumblebee decided to take matters into his own hands. At that moment, the key in the ignition turned all by itself and the engine backfired.

“Oh no, no no no, no, no no, come on!” Sam franticly tried to fix the car. Then I had to bite back laughter again as the radio switched to an all too clicé song as it drove off the road. “Sorry, just workin’ out the kinks, you know, new car. Oh!”

“ _And when I get that feeling_ ,” the radio sang.

“This radio is, like, you know, it's an old radio, too, so, look this isn’t something that I, you know,” Sam protested as Bumblebee stopped at the edge of a cliff, the sun romantically setting in the distance. Sam messed with the radio. “I can’t get this radio to stop. Look, I wouldn’t try this on you-”

“Do _I Got You_.” I giggled quietly from the back.

Whether he heard me or not, the radio did indeed switch to said song, and I had to clamp my hands over my mouth to keep my laughing fit silent.

“'Cause this is like a romantic, romantic thing that I'm not trying to do.”

“ _So good!”_

“Uh huh.” Mikaela said as she put her hair back. I’m not sure how much she believed him.

“ _So good!_ ”

“Not that you're not worthy of trying something like this on.”

“No of course not.”

“ _I got you!_ ”

“I'm a friend of yours, I'm not a romantic friend. Romantic friends do this. I mean, I'm not that friend, I mean, we... I could be.”

“ _Ow! I feel good!_ ”

“Just pop the hood.” Mikaela said as she got out.

“Stupid, shutupshutupshutupshutup!” Sam whisper-yelled as he kicked the radio with his foot until Bumblebee eventually did stop, with somewhat of an indignant noise.

“Whoa,” Mikaela said as she looked at the sweet engine under the hood, which I desperately wished I could see. I never knew much about cars; I was eager enough to learn, but no one had ever bothered to teach me. Wait, would wanting to see Bumblebee’s engine be wrong? What part of him was that even? _Augh!_ Never mind, I didn’t want to know.

“Nice headers.” She continued. “You've got a high-rise double-pump carburetor. That's…pretty impressive, Sam.”

“Double pump?” Sam asked.

“It squirts the fuel in so you can go faster.” Mikaela explained.

“Oh… I like to go faster.” I made a face and grimaced as I knew that Sam was being a pervert.

“And it looks like your uh, your uh, distributor cap's a little loose.” She went on, banging on said-thingy, oblivious as Sam gawked.

“Yeah, how’d you know that?”

“Uh, my dad. He was a, he was a real grease monkey. He taught me all about this. I could take it all apart, clean it, put it back together.”

“That’s weird, I just wouldn’t peg you for mechanical.” Sam said before hiding his face behind Bumblebee’s hood and breathing, “Oh my gawd.”

“Well, you know, I don’t really broadcast it. Guys don’t like it when you know more about cars than they do. Especially not Trent… He hates it.”

“Yeah, I’m cool with, uh, you know, females workin’ on my engine. I prefer it, actually.”

_Prefer it actually? Oh my gosh Sam._

“Okay, you wanna fire it up for me?” Mikaela asked. “Thanks.”

“Oh yeah, yeah no problem.” Sam said as he quickly scurried around to the driver’s seat and tried the ignition, without success. “You know I was, I was thinkin’, if Trent’s such a jerk, why do you, why do you hang out with him?”

Mikaela was silent for a moment, before she sighed and said, “You know what, I’m just uh, I’m gonna walk.” With another sigh, she said, “Good luck with your car.” She reached in, grabbed her purse, and started walking away.

“Alright.” Sam said lamely as he watched her. “Walking’s healthy, right?” he paused before running back into the car. “Oh gawd nononononononononono,” he muttered as he tried desperately to get Bumblebee to work. “Come on, please. Please, you gotta work for me now. Don't let her walk away. Come on, come on, come on. Please, please.”

‘Unexpectedly’, the engine roared to life. “Oo!” Sam exclaimed as the radio yelled, “ _Baby come back!_ ” He leaped out, shut the hood, and yelled “Hey!” at Mikaela.

“ _Any kind of fool could see._ _There was something in everything about you,_ ”

“Oh my gosh Bumblebee.” I giggled at his song choice as Sam jumped back in, turned the car in a 180 and drove after Mikaela.

“ _Baby come back!_ ”

“Hey!” Sam screamed again, and I knew that Mikaela was trying to hide a smile.

“ _You can blame it all on me. I was wrong,_ ”

“Wait a second!” Sam said as he pulled up in front of her.

“ _And I just can’t live without you._ ”

* * *

 

It was dark by the time Sam pulled up the road to Mikaela’s house. Bumblebee hadn’t given Sam any more problems, much to said boy’s relief, but had taken his time in getting the two there.

“Ahem, there it is.” Sam stated as he parked in front of her house.

“… I had fun, um, so, you know, thanks for listening.” Mikaela said, looking over at Sam.

“Oh yeah, yeah.”

“You…you think I’m shallow?” she asked somewhat reluctantly.

“You think you’re shallow? Nononononono,” Sam was quick to comfort her. “I think, um, there’s a lot more than meets the eye with you.”

“… Okay.” Mikaela nodded, giving a little laugh.

“Yeah.”

“Alright I’ll, I’ll see you at school.”

“Alright.”

I knew Mikaela gave Sam one of her killer smiles before getting out of the car and heading up to her house.

“Stupid, that was a stupid line. _There’s more than meets the eye with you._ Stupid.” Sam muttered to himself.

I heard the screen door squeak as Mikaela waved to Sam before going into her house.

“Oh gawd.” Sam gave a little laugh as he started up his car again. “Oh my gawd I love my car.”

* * *

 

Sam did the typical teenager thing and got home at the last possible minute, which is, to say, eleven. Once he’d parked Bumblebee in driveway and I was sure he’d gone back into the house, I let out a huge breath I didn’t know I was holding. Groaning, I proceeded to drag myself out of the trunk into the main cabin of the car.

“You alright?” asked a voice from the radio.

“Yeah,” I said, turning over onto my back so I could sit up and rub my legs. “Just stiff is all.”

Next to me, the right-side door popped open quietly. “Wanna get out…stretch your legs?” Bumblebee asked.

I cautiously looked out the door. “What if someone sees me?” I asked.

“I’ll keep watch.” Bumblebee answered.

A bit hesitantly, I stepped out of the car as quietly as possible. I gasped in both pain and pleasure as I felt the blood returning to my legs. Exhaling, I crouched a bit as my legs began to tingle somewhat painfully. “Dang,” I said, stomping my feet as lightly as I could to try and revive circulation. “Autobots are lucky they don’t have blood. Well, I suppose Energon counts, but that’s different, right?”

“How do you know so much about us?” Bumblebee asked as I walked around a bit, pleased that my legs were beginning to feel better now.

“Well, um,” I hesitated. “It’s…it’s kind of weird… and uh, hard to believe-” I was cut off my a ginormous yawn that I could not contain. “Sorry,” I said, my voice pitch changed by the yawn. “I, I was trying to say,” I rubbed my eyes, which were beginning to get watery. “I-”

Bumblebee’s radio whirred. “It can wait…you look tired… You’ve had a long day…you can tell us all…when the others get here.”

I nodded sleepily. “Okay.” I agreed. “Wait, but, don’t you still have to go signal them? Like tonight?”

“Gotta wait till…everyone’s asleep… Can’t go…wakin’ folks up.”

“Mm,” I made a small noise, trying to shake off my sleepiness. “So what do we do until then?”

Bumblebee sank on his axels a bit. “You sleep.” He said. “While you can… You can wake up… when it’s time to go.”

“Are, are you sure you’re okay with me sleeping in you?” I asked, a bit embarrassed.

“I don’t mind… You get some rest now… Lots to do tomorrow.”

 _He has no idea_ , I thought groggily, but complied. Crawling into the back seat, I curled up on the old leather cushions as I heard the door shut softly behind me. Despite being inside a living creature, I couldn’t help but snuggle down and get comfortable. The seats were surprisingly warm, as if heated from within. “Thanks Bumblebee,” I said before being interrupted by another yawn. “You know, you make a pretty good wingman.”

“I do not know that word… What does it mean?” Bumblebee asked.

I laughed. “It’s a guy who helps another guy get a girl.” I explained. “And you played it pretty well tonight.”

“Well…thanks…” he responded. “That guy…he needs help.”

Laughing again, I answered, “Yeah, he sure does.”

“Try to get some sleep… You’ll need the energy.”

“Okay.” I said, my eyelids sinking over m tired, watery eyes. “Goodnight Bumblebee.”

“Goodnight kiddo.”

And for that first time that day, well, actually, for the first time in a long time, I felt…safe.

* * *

 

**_I know I know, that was a lot of dialog for a movie you’ve probably seen lots of times, but I thought it was necessary. Hopefully the stuff at the end that was actually mine made up for it at least a little bit._ **

**_Review please! I want to know what you guys think!!_ **


	4. Chapter 4

_**I’ll try to update it on a somewhat regular basis, probably between chapters of my Hetalia fanfic.** _

**_ME NO OWNY MEGATRONY!_ **

**_… Now I want rigatoni._ **

* * *

 

“Hey, it’s time to get up.”

Words not attached to a speaker drifted through the dark void of my sleeping mind, my exhaustion jumbling the sounds around until the words had no significant meaning.

“Yoo hoo, time to get up sweetie.”

I vaguely registered a female voice, and my eyelids fluttered briefly without sight, not at all conscious. While the words reached me this time, the situation in which an adult woman would be speaking to me in such a motherly tone did not make any sense, so I assumed myself to be dreaming.

A slight electrical charge startled me. It tickled.

“ACK!” I yelped as I jerked awake and off the seat to land of the car floor with an unladylike “Oof!”

“Oops, didn’t mean to scare ya.” The radio cracked. Immediately I knew where I was. I don’t get how in books they always talking about not knowing where you are at first when you wake up; as soon as I’m even mildly awake I know where I am.

“I wasn’t scared!” I jumped to my defense as I picked myself up off the floor. “You just…startled me, is all.”

“Jumpy, are we?” Bumblebee commented.

“Hey now, anybody would- Wait, is it time?” I asked anxiously as I sat back down on back seat.

“Affirmative.” Came the reply. “You ready?”

Unable to keep the grin from spreading across my face in anticipation, I replied, “So ready.”

With a series of Cybertronian sounds that fascinated me to no end and a few flashes of energy in light form, Bumblebee’s engine came to life. He tried to be quiet, but the age and make of the car made it hard to do anything below-the-radar volume-wise. So of course his engine revved numerous times before Bumblebee was even able to begin rolling down the driveway.

“Ah that’s my car! Oh NOOOO!” I heard Sam scream above us. Hoping he wouldn’t be able to see me at night with Bumblebee’s tinted windows, I leaned over to the left window and looked up at him. However I was only able to catch a glimpse of him before Bumblebee turned, tires screeching, into the street.

“You might wanna get going,” I warned Bumblebee, looking out the back window as he drove away at a leisurely pace. “He’s coming.”

“After me?--Doubt it--Call 911--more likely.”

I didn’t have to answer because at that moment Sam came out of his driveway, pedaling his bike like a madman, and pursued us via the sidewalk.

“I stand corrected.” Bumblebee said as he accelerated, but stayed within the speed limit, which allowed Sam to catch up.

“C’mon, where ya goin with my car, buddy? Where ya goin?!” I heard him say as he rode parallel to us.

 _Can he see me now?_ I wondered as I watched him dial on his cellphone and ride his bike simultaneously. I decided that, while he was closer now, he was a bit busy to be noticing little girls’ faces in his stolen car’s window. Since the backseat had no seatbelts, I shuffled over into the right seat to better watch Sam in his desperate attempts to regain his ‘stolen’ car.

“Hello? 911 emergency! My car’s been stolen!” Sam yelled into his phone as he drove his bike onto the street as Bumblebee out…outran? Outdrove? Whatever, him. “I’m in pursuit! Right, I need all units! The whole-the whole squadron! _Bring **everyone!**_ No no no, don’t ask me questions, alright? My father’s the head of the neighborhood watch.”

When Bumblebee began to decelerate, I realized and was mildly surprised that he was stopping for a stop sign. _Well he has been here since 2003,_ I thought to myself as I scooted back into the middle. Pulling my legs up onto the seat, I kneeled on them and turned around so that I could watch Sam out the back window without having to stay twisted around. _It only makes sense that he would have learned our laws._

Sam gaped at his phone “Ya _think?_ ” He yelled into it, not noticing Bumblebee’s slowing speed and continuing to ride forward. “Get me some help!” The second he looked up was the same second that Bumblebee came to a complete stop, basically right in front of him.

With a bump that was too comical _not_ to laugh at, Sam ran his bike into Bumblebee’s rear and promptly fell. I tried to muffle my laughter as Bumblebee started forward again, using the possibility of Sam being hurt to sober myself. Thankfully he looked undaunted as he quickly mounted his bike again and resumed his chase. As Bumblebee gained speed, Sam barked, “Cops! Now!” into his cellphone before pocketing it and pursuing in earnest.

That’s when he saw me. Or at least I think he did anyway; he seemed to be looking right at me. The second we met eyes I dropped in the seat. I didn’t really know if it was a bad thing for him to see me, but I didn’t want to take any chances.

In not much time, we reached the cement factory, and while Sam was looking pretty winded, he showed no signs of giving up.

“Does this guy ever quit?” Bumblebee’s radio whirred as he pulled to a quick stop in front of gate, the railroad crossing bells dinging from behind it.

“Not really, which is a good thing-Whoa!” I clutched the seat in surprise as Bumblebee revved his engine, his tires spinning in the dirt. Disregarding the stop sign posted on the flimsy gate, he burst through it and just barely made it across the tracks before a train blocked Sam’s path, not that it would stop him for long though.

The Autobot came to a sudden stop and opened the door beside me. “Gotta do this quick.” He said, and I complied by exiting as quickly as I could, which involved a bit of tripping into the dirt, but I quickly reassembled myself, stood up and stepped back so I could watch _him_ reassemble himself.

Bumblebee began to transform.

So many things were happening at once, it was hard to all take in. Gears shifting and popping into place, wheels turning before separating, clicking, banging, clanging, the _shing_ of sharp metal scraping against metal, parts breaking up and reforming in other places, and the combined motion of climbing in height. Climbing, climbing, climbing, till it reached somewhere around seventeen or eighteen feet, where it stopped.

And all of it happened in about five seconds.

Two bright blue ocular lenses turned down towards my gaping, wide-eyed, tilted back face of awe and fascination.

_This is so much better than HD._

“What?” Bumblebee inquired via radio, along with a very human-like cock of his head and ridges that looked a lot like eyebrows came together in confusion.

Realizing that I was staring, I shook my head. “Sorry,” I said, then looked back up at him. “It’s just…” A smile broke onto my face. “Wow.”

What would have been cheekbones on a human raised a bit on Bumblebee’s face in what might have been a smile, then he motioned with a four-fingered hand for me to follow as he turned and walked towards some sort of tower. I had to run to keep up with him, even though his pace was relatively slow, but I didn’t really care. My grin would absolutely not go away. I gazed at the Transformer, completely transfixed and nearly giddy with excitement.

When Bumblebee turned on his beacon, I knew it shined over Sam briefly before it was directed up into the sky. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how powerful it was, to travel up through the atmosphere and all the way up into outer space. And how did it go unnoticed by the government? Or did it? I shivered at the thought of what was to come, and instead focused my attention on the symbol of the beam. Caught on a cloud, it was actually possible to see the details of the Autobot insignia in the sky, just like in Batman. Or Larryboy.

After about twelve seconds, Bumblebee directed the beam down again, once again shining over Sam before he turned it off. Then he turned towards me.

“They’re coming?” I breathed.

He nodded. Then, very carefully, he crouched down to me, coming so close that I could pick out individual gears and wires in his face. What on a human would have been a nose, a jaw, and the different mechanical parts that moved just like muscles. Even his eyes were detailed; the wide, circular metal surrounding the Autobot-blue iris, with even a dark hole like some sort of a pupil in the middle. No mouth though. Not because he couldn’t talk; no, it was the design of his facial features that either obscured his mouth, or he didn’t have one like the other Autobots.

As he leaned in very close, I realized it was my Autobot insignia necklace that Bumblebee was looking at. His eyes stared at it necklace intently, the blue light they emitted reflecting off its shiny surface. It occurred to me that this was probably the first time he’d been able to get a good look at it; I doubt he could have seen it too well in vehicle mode. Carefully, he extended one finger, which was thicker than my arm, and as softly as possible, touched the symbol. Metal met metal with a small clink. Then his optics met my eyes.

“One of us?” he asked.

I nodded solemnly. “Always.”

Bumblebee’s expression turned to one of sorrow. “Not safe.” He said.

In a hushed tone, as if I didn’t dare to say it any louder, I replied, “I know.”

Just then our heads both turned at the sound of dogs barking, which rang clearly through the night air.

“Sam’s in trouble!” I exclaimed, turning back desperately to Bumblebee.

With a hasty nod the Autobot wasted no time transforming back into the ‘piece-o’crap-Camaro’ _(Don’t tell him I said that.)_ He opened the door to me, I leaped in and we sped off to save the man in distress.

It didn’t take us long to find him; we just had to follow the sound of barking dogs and Sam’s squeaky voice. Finding a weak point in the dome thingy Sam and the dogs were in, Bumblebee drove right through the wall and began spinning furiously around the little island of tires and barrels where Sam was stranded, headlights blaring and honking loudly. It did a good job of scaring the dogs away, but unfortunately it freaked out Sam quite a bit too.

“Whoa!” I exclaimed, the g-force of Bumblebee’s donuts sucking me into the wall of the right seat, but I was fine. Struggling to get to the other side to see Sam, I crawled across the seat once the g-force had died down a bit and gazed out the left window.

Unfortunately, that’s where Sam happened to be looking. No denying it-This time he saw me for sure. “Please! Please don’t kill me! I’m sorry!” He directed his pleading at me, then he threw his keys on the ground before making a break for it as Bumblebee circled wider and slower, making an opening for Sam. “Take the keys! I don’t wan’um! Car’s yours!” He yelled as he bolted off his safety-island and out of the dome.

Before Bumblebee could follow him, I exclaimed, “Cops! Don’t go that way! He’ll be fine, but you gotta go!”

Taking heed to go as quietly as an old, rusty car can, Bumblebee listened to my warning and drove out in the opposite direction that Sam went. Carefully skirting around the edges, we were able to avoid the cops all together and get out of the cement factory without being noticed.

“Whew!” I let out a sigh of relief as I sank down into the back seat. “Cops aren’t after us. Good good.” With another sigh, I asked, “So, what do we do now?”

“I was hoping you could--give some insight--as to that.” Bumblebee answered.

I let out another puff of air. “Well, Sam’s gonna be at the police station for a while, I don’t know how long, but the sun’ll be up by the time he gets out. Then his dad’ll get him a chocolate shake, then he’ll take him home. Then Sam will sleep for a while, I don’t know how long, then he’ll wake up when his mom’s going shopping, and his dad won’t be home, and Sam’ll be awake, so _then_ you can go get him, and again I don’t know how long that’ll be.”

My ramblings of what was to come were met with silence at first, then the radio spliced together a message. “I’ve never heard--a report--so detailed--but not.”

“Sorry,” I said with a small laugh, but my apology was sincere. “The time is all weird. I mean, I guess I should be looking at the movie, the time’s _super_ screwed up there, but…Argh!”

“Are you okay?” Bumblebee asked after my outburst.

“Yeah, sorry,” I replied, holding my head in my hands, my previous exhaustion coming back now that the adrenaline rush had faded away. “It’s just…a lot to keep track of. And with tomorrow coming, it’s…it’s…”

“Hey,” The radio said with a voice that was almost sympathetic. “It’ll be okay--I’ll keep tabs on--his house--Rollin’ round the city--Keep a low profile--So why don’t you--go back to sleep--I’ll wake you--anything important happens--Tomorrow sounds--it’s gonna be big--Am I right?”

“Yeah,” I said as I laid back down on the seats once more, fresh out of protests to give. “Yeah, it is.”

“Sleep easy then--Nothin’ to worry about--I gotcha.”

“Okay, but be careful; the police will be looking for Sam’s car.” Wondering just how many times I was going to fall asleep in Bumblebee’s vehicle mode, I made myself comfortable in the old leather. The rumbling of his engine, as sputtery as it was, was comforting in both its white noise and slight vibrations which could be felt through the warm seats. “Thanks,” I mumbled as I closed my eyes, knowing that it would be a while before I would be able to sleep again.

“Don’t mention it.”

* * *

 

When I woke up in the morning, it surprisingly wasn’t to a disaster. I’d figured with the day that was ahead of me, certainly I’d have some sort of rude awakening or another. But no, I opened my eyes to find myself comfortably curled on the leather seats, the dull roar of the engine still rumbling soothingly through the frame of the car, and the yellow sun shining through the windows and onto my face. I blinked a few times, somewhat confused by my peaceful surroundings, before arching my back in some sort of a compressed stretch.

“Good morning star shine! The Earth says hello!” said Willy Wonka, confusing me for a nanosecond, before I realized that it was Bumblebee’s radio.

“Mm,” I made a noise as I rubbed my eyes. As I’ve said before, I’m not a morning person. Peering out from behind my hands, I glanced at the digital clock up front. If I’d been in a cartoon, my eyes would’ve bugged out from between my fingers. “Please tell me your clock’s wrong, or that that’s in the AM’s.”

“Nope.--Late sleeper huh?”

That was putting it mildly. Somehow I’d managed to sleep well into the afternoon of the next day. How the heck had I done that? Especially since none of the physically demanding stuff had even come yet. “Yeah… Sorry, I don’t know how I slept that long! I didn’t mean for you to have to carry me around all day.”

“No problem--No action yet--anyway.”

“Well that’s good.” I sat up and answered while stretching, my arms over my head and my legs down the middle of the car. “It did feel nice to sleep in. My foster parents never let me sleep in; now I see why.”

“I am sorry—what are foster parents?”

“They don’t have those on Cybertron?” I asked. “Well, they’re people who take care of you when your real parents can’t, or don’t, or shouldn’t.”

“I see.—They keep you until—you’re old enough—to live on your own?”

I twisted my lip a bit. “No, that’s being adopted; when you get a new family and they keep you. When you’re a foster kid, like me, you’re not that lucky. You don’t get to stay with one family; the system makes you go from foster family to foster family, but they’re not yours. They keep you till either the system moves you or they can’t keep you…or get tired of you.” I added quietly, then spoke up again. “If they like you enough, they can adopt you though.”

“But you’re still--in the system.”

I nodded, trusting that somehow Bumblebee could see me.

“That’s sad.”

I shrugged. “Not many of us get adopted. Most foster kids are just passed around till they turn eighteen. Then we’re kicked out on our own.”

“How old are you?”

“Ten.”

“Eight years--to go—That’s a long time.”

“… Yeah.”

“Still lots of time—to be—adopted.”

I shook my head. “No, I’ve been through quite a few families, and no one’s taken a liking to me yet. I’ll probably have to wait.”

“Why should you—have to wait—any more than anyone else?”

 _No one wants me,_ I answered in my head. _No one likes me. No one wants me in their family._ I recalled gazing at children with real families; a memory that went back as far as I could remember. _I’ll never have what they have,_ I’d thought to myself every time. _No one wants to take care of me, to teach me the valuable lessons in life, to make sure I feel safe. No one will ever want me for a daughter, a sister. No one wants to love me._

“I just don’t seem to fit anyone.” Was my answer.

Maybe Bumblebee sensed that this was a sensitive topic and didn’t want to push me, or maybe his interest in this subject was just waning. Some small part of me secretly wanted the former, but the rest of me assumed the latter. Whatever the reason, his next question was, “Where do you live—with your—current—foster family?”

“Actually I was right between switching families.” I informed him. “I’ve spent most of my life in Minnesota, but I was being flown all the way to San Francisco, California.”

“That’s not where—I found you.—How’d you get here?”

I paused, thinking over how to word this. “Well, I’m not really sure-” I was interrupted by a sudden (and loud) grumbling sound that came from my abdomen, along with a rolling, grinding feeling.

“What was that?” Bumblebee asked.

“Heh,” I said, wrapping my arms around my middle, a bit embarrassed. “Just me. Sometimes humans’ stomachs growl when we’re hungry, that’s all.”

“Hungry?—Sorry—Ain’t got no food.” He replied.

Sucking in my lips in thought, I looked out the window for ideas. Normally I’d just brush my hunger off as a non-necessity, but I knew I’d need the energy, and it’d probably be a while before I’d have the chance to refuel again. “Well, I’ve got some money left… Oh! Can you pull in here? I’m not old enough, so no using the drive thru… If you park and wait a minute, I’ll be right back.”

Complying, Bumblebee rolled up into the parking lot of the local Mickey D’s, stopping by the door to let me out. Shouldering my tote bag and fingering what was left of the $100 inside, I stepped out, pushed the doors open and entered the fast food joint. After looking over my shoulder to make sure that Bumblebee had parked, I went to the bathroom since I knew I probably wouldn’t get another chance for a while, then headed up to the counter.

“HelloandwelcometoMcDonald’showmayIhelpyou.” The teenage girl mumbled all at once, examining her nails.

I swallowed nervously. I never liked ordering food. Sometimes it was too loud to hear what the person was saying, sometimes when I got out money it got all crumpled in my hands or I didn’t give enough, and sometimes it was hard just talking to an older person I didn’t know. Usually my foster parent would order for me, but I had no one to do that for me now, so I took a deep breath and said, “I’d like two McChickens, just the sandwiches, a large fry, and a cup for water…please.”

The employee looked away from her nails and down at me, emphasis on the down. “Where are your parents, kid?”

“They’re in the car.” I said quickly.

“Which car?”

“That one,” I turned and pointed to Bumblebee, who thankfully had parked at an angle that obscured the driver’s seat.

The lady still looked suspicious. “Why didn’t they come in with you, or use the drive thru?”

I shrugged, inwardly panicking because I was out of excuses. I’ve never liked lying, and I’m no good at it either, especially when put on the spot.

Thankfully, the employee gave a bored sigh and plugged my order into the machine.

“For here or to go?”

“What?”

“For _here_ , or to _go_?”

“For here-I mean to go!”

“Which is it, kid?”

“To go.”

When she told me the amount, I grabbed the money I had in my fist, wadding it all up of course, before finding and pulling out a five dollar bill in a record amount of fumbling and shuffling before handing it to the lady.

As soon as I’d gotten my change (which I almost walked away without) and taken my bag, I left as quickly as I could, feeling extra stupid. I have this weird thing where when I’m nervous I get really, really dumb. I don’t understand simple questions, and it takes me extra-long to do stuff, not to mention with lots of screw-ups. This is why first impressions didn’t usually go too well for me, and why I didn’t care much for meeting new people.

Forcing myself to not run, I walked briskly across the parking lot and back to Bumblebee. Thankfully, he let me open the door myself so that if anyone was watching they wouldn’t see it pop open on its own. Taking care not to tip the bag or my drink, I quickly got in and sat back down with a sigh of relief, forcing myself to not think about how stupid I had just been.

“Whacha got there?” the radio asked as Bumblebee pulled out back onto the highway.

Situating myself so that my back was against the right side of the car and stretching my legs out on the seat in front of me with the bag on my lap, I tried not to drool over the smell of its contents. “Two McChickens, a large fry and water.” I answered, reaching in for said food.

“Whazat?”

 _Why does he care?_ I wondered. _Is he really curious about human food? Then again, I know I’d be interested about everything if I ever met an alien…and I am, but now’s not the time._ “Well,” I said as I unwrapped my first sandwich. “A McChicken is a sandwich, which means that it’s chicken, or, well, it’s supposed to be chicken. I heard most of it is pink slime but-Ew! I don’t wanna think about that! Anyway, ‘chicken’ that’s been fried in lots of grease, lettuce and mayo between two bread buns. Then fries,” I took out a golden finger of wonder and pushed it into my mouth. “Are heavenly strips of potatoes cooked in fry oil and coated in salt. And water is just water.”

“Sounds—messy—Grease and salt—not good for the upholstery.”

I giggled. “Don’t worry, I promise I won’t get any on you.” To prove my point, I quickly licked the end of each of my fingertips and then wiped them off with one of the napkins I’d grabbed on the way out.

“What else do they have?”

“Mostly beef, also some bacon, more chicken, and a little bit of fish.” I answered. “There’s lots of grease-fried stuff in there. And just about everything’s coated in a layer of salt, which I love.”

“That doesn’t seem—too healthy.”

“It’s not, so don’t tell Ratchet!”

The engine rumbled in funny way. _Kinda like a chuckle_ … _Nah._ “He’ll—find out eventually.”

“Shhhhhh,” I said pointedly, consuming my fries without actually taking the box out of the bag. It minimized messiness.

“Do you ever get—other stuff?”

“Sometimes, but this is my favorite order, so I get it a lot. It’s cheaper than getting a meal, I get two sandwiches instead of one, a large fry instead of a medium, plus I don’t have to pay for pop since I don’t get it anyway. Oh, pop is what you call soft drinks in Minnesota, but in California people call it soda. It’s like this flavored, fizzy liquid that everyone likes.”

“So why don’t you—get some?”

“Well… See, pop is made with tons of sugar and caffeine, and both give humans energy. And in some people, they…um…give them too much energy. So I try to stay away from it.” Thinking that such a subject was probably boring the giant alien robot, at that point I focused on eating my food in earnest to keep myself from talking.

“That was fast.” Bumblebee commented once I’d finished both my sandwiches and all of the fries (after searching the bottom of the bag for ‘bonus fries’) in what I’ll admit was a pretty short amount of time.

“I hadn’t eaten since I’d had those bogus peanuts on the plane yesterday.” I answered before sucking the salty, greasy remains off my fingers, making small sounds of pleasure as I did so.

“That’s so bad for you—how can you eat it?” Bumblebee asked.

“It tastes _really_ good,” I answered as I dried my fingers for the last time on a napkin. “Salt is just about the tastiest thing on the planet, in my opinion at least.” I sighed as I wadded up the napkin, sucked up the last drops of water from my cup, then threw it all into the bag and crumbled it up. “Anyway, thanks for letting me get some food Bee-Oh, sorry, can I call you Bee?”

“Sure you can.” Bee answered as he stopped for an intersection. “Now what—can I call you?”

That’s funny, I hadn’t told him yet? “Well, my name is-Wait that’s Sam’s mom!” I exclaimed when I saw her drive perpendicular to us, thankfully not noticing that it was her son’s stolen car she’d just passed. “Sam’s awake and home alone now, so you can go get him!”

“Roger that.” Once the light had turned green, Bumblebee headed off in the direction that Sam’s mom had come from. As he did, I began to coil the straps of my tote bag around my sweaty hands subconsciously. _This is it,_ I thought, my heart rate beginning to increase already. _This is when it all picks up; when the big stuff starts to happen. All the dangerous_ _stuff. It’ll be nonstop from here. Ready for this?_

_God, keep me safe._

* * *

 

**_Lots of my writing this time, hope it wasn’t too lame XP Sort of a calm-before-the-storm thing is what I was going for._ **

**_Idk why I’m keeping the main character’s name hidden-it’s not like it’s a major plot point or even special. Whatever._ **

**_Since most of you probably haven’t noticed, I’ll be using some stuff from the Transformers book by Alan Dean Foster too, since it’s got some good stuff in it._ **

**_Review plz! Feedback is always a good thing. As long as you’re polite, you can even tell me what you don’t like about my writing. I don’t mind constructive criticism. Of course I don’t mind compliments either_ ^J^**


	5. Chapter 5

Mojo’s barking greeted us as Bee pulled up to the Witwicky house. Disregarding Ron’s love of his lawn, he rolled right up onto the grass beneath the kitchen window of Sam’s house, revving his engine in a loud, attention-getting way. Peering out the window to my right, I looked up to see Sam looking down at us.

“Okay, he should be calling Miles now.” I informed Bee, giggling at the look I had seen on Sam’s face before he’d turned away.

“Did you know—I can hack into—their--phone line?”

“No way.”

The radio whirred and buzzed with static until, sure enough, I could hear Sam and Miles talking.

“ ’Lo?”

“Miles! Miles, it’s me! Listen! Listen! My car, it-it stole itself okay! I thought maybe it was a dream. It’s not. It’s real. It’s alive.”

“What’re you talking about man?”

“Satan’s Camaro! In my yard! It’s stalking me!” Sam’s voice cracked in fear.

“While I have you?” Miles replied snappishly. “Thanks for the ride home yesterday. You know how many drivers will stop to pick up a lone teenage male hitchhiker after dark? Can you count zero?”

“Dude I’m sorry but listen. It went for a walk and now it’s back. There’s this ghost of a little girl in there!” That caught my attention. “Maybe she took the car for a joyride in it and crashed and she haunts it now, I don’t know man but she’s trying to kill me! I think-she wants my soul.”

At this I burst out laughing. Bumblebee shook too.

“Whatever dude. D’you have my crickets? I don’t like the way A-Rod is starting to look at my fingers.” Then I heard what sounded like… a fart? “Mason no! Bad dog! What’d you eat? You’ve been digging up dead things in the creek again. I own a freakin’ dog ghoul. Oh my gawd I can’t see. Got an environmental disaster here Sam-notify the EPA!” Which made me laugh again.

“Miles, I can hear Ghost Girl laughing out there! I’m coming over. Don’t go anywhere.” A dial tone replaced the voices.

Trying to force my laughter down, I gripped the seat as my shoulders shook. “Okay, here he comes.” I managed to say.

“Ghost Girl—and—Satan’s Camaro.” Bumblebee said, splicing together bits of Sam’s own speech. “I like the sound of that.”

Before I could respond, Sam came running out of his house with his mom’s pink, frilly bike and racing for the street.

Bumblebee started out on the street like a normal car, but when he drove up and started following Sam on the sidewalk. Not suspicious at all. Nope.

“Bee what are you doing?” I asked as I started laughing again. I couldn’t help it; this scene had always amused me. “Cars don’t drive on the sidewalk!”

“Augh!” Sam made a noise as he peddled as hard and as fast as he could away from us. Looking over his shoulder at us, he screamed “Stop!” his voice cracking in fear.

In not long at all we had reached midtown. Sam rode through the streets and Bumblebee followed, thankfully on back on the expected driving surface for a car. When Sam moved back to the sidewalk, Bee hung back, pulling into the street behind. This gave me a great vantage point for the slapstick I knew was to come. Sure enough, there was the look-back, flips, scream and smack. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Of course his amazing feat had been witnessed by Mikaela, who was at Burger King with her friends. “Sam?”

Said boy looked up and grunted, “Hi.”

A wide grin spread across Mikaela’s face. “That was awesome!”

I liked this girl.

“Ugh, it felt awesome.” Sam replied as he struggled to his knees.

“Are you okay?” Mikaela asked, her admiration replaced by concern.

Sam rushed his words together as he got up again. “I’m not okay alright? I’m losin’ my mind a little bit. Getting chased by my car right now. I gotta go.”

Looking after Sam with a confused, somewhat intrigued expression, Mikaela said to her friends, “… You know what I’m gonna catch up with you guys later.” as she stood. After Sam wrestled with his mom’s bike for a bit more, he got back on and resumed our chase.

While Bumblebee followed Sam through the street, I thought I heard the warble of a siren. Oh no, I thought; I knew how the movie went. I turned around to look out the back window. Sure enough, trailing us at a good distance was that terrible Mustang police car.

“Barricade’s here.” I managed to squeak, my throat having tightened with fear. This information made Bumblebee take the wrong isle on purpose after he’d followed Sam into the parking lot. Circling around, he exited the lot just after Barricade pulled in. I instinctively ducked in my seat as we passed, trying to gulp down my fear. At the same time though, I my hands had managed to get the car door open.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Bumblebee asked as he promptly slammed the door shut.

“I’m getting out so that I’m not in you when you slam into Barricade!” I answered, fighting the handle that stayed so stubbornly stiff.

“… Fair enough.” The Autobot stopped and let me open the door. “Stay safe—out of trouble.”

I nodded as Bumblebee sped off around the parking complex. Now, I had every intention of being careful, but I also wanted to see what was going on, so I made a very stupid decision.

I went in after Barricade.

At least I was somewhat smart about it, hiding behind parked cars as I got closer. I had come just in time to watch the Decepticon transform from behind. The sight amazed and terrified me at the same time. I ducked into the other lane and tried to keep up with Barricade as he chased Sam, who was screaming profanities as he fled. I cringed when the teenager was kicked, screaming as he flew through air to land on a car windshield with the sound of shattering glass. Thankfully he seemed okay, though still scared out of his mind. “Bad dream, bad dream,” he mumbled, sitting up and trying his best to push himself away from the threatening hulk that was Barricade. “Pleasepleaseplease lemme just wake up!” He screamed, as any normal person would, when the Con slammed his huge fists down on the sides of the car, crushing it like a trash compactor.

“Are you username Ladiesman217?!”

“I dunno what’cher talking about-”

“ARE YOU USERNAME LADIESMAN217?!”Barricade yelled, forcing his huge mass only inches away from poor Sam’s face.

The boy hesitated. “… Yeah.”

“Where is the e-bay item number 21153?! WHERE ARE THE GLASSES?!” the Decepticon spun his wheeled arm deep into the car’s hood for emphasis.

This scared the crap out of Sam. Quickly, he got to his feet, turned and ran up the car, only just managing to leap off the back end before Barricade flipped the entire vehicle over.

That’s where I was.

When Sam stumbled I didn’t think, I just rushed over to pull him back up again. “This way!” I said, trying to him towards the exit.

The boy stood there like an idiot, his eyes bugging out as he realized who I was. “Ghost Girl?!” he cried is disbelief.

I turned and saw Barricade’s proximity, scaring my heart into my throat. “Yes now run!” I screamed. Sam didn’t need any motivation after that. He was faster than me, but thankfully fear and adrenaline got me going pretty quickly and I wasn’t far behind.

That is, until I tripped.

It was a stupid trip too; over my own two feet. A complete horror movie trip.

I tried to get back up quickly, but then I heard and felt something huge slamming into the ground directly behind me, cracking the concrete with its force.

Oh God.

Slowly, I rotated my crouched form and looked up. The Goliath facing me was a giant robot about Bumblebee’s height, but the similarities ended there. The gray being with long, cruel claws, a mouth full of sharp, yellow teeth, and evil, glaring red eyes that glowered over me was nothing like the Autobot who’d been with me since I’d seen this thing last. No, this was nothing like him; this was a monster.

Then it spoke.

“You.”

I froze, my face turning white as all the blood drained away. In that single, growled utterance, I understood exactly what the Decepticon meant. It had seen me that day. It had seen my necklace.

And it had remembered me.

I was running, running faster than I’d ever run before, yet I was all too aware of how dangerously close my pursuer was. The weight of each metal footstep thundering behind me at such close proximity shook the ground and made it hard to place my feet as I ran. Two cars flew past me on either side, each only inches away from me, that’s how close it was. I could feel its great hulk over me.

Then it wasn’t just over me.

It was around me. It was above and below and beside me. It was crushing me with its sharp claws, lifting me into the air, squeezing the breath out of me, threatening to crush more than just my lungs. Slowly, horribly, I was lifted up to its terrible face. Those red eyes glowed with a sharp, cutting light that flashed over me with a malicious intent I had never experienced before.

Panic rushed over me like an all-consuming tsunami, flooding my thoughts, my actions, my senses, until I was aware of only one thing:

I was screaming.

Then everything went upside down. I was wrenched around at neck-snapping speed before released onto the hard ground in less than a second. The 1976 Camaro had smashed into the Decepticon, knocking it off its feet and me out of its hands. By some stretch of a miracle, I was held onto until my captor’s arm hit the ground, sending me rolling onto the concrete but for the most part unharmed.

Yellow, lifesaving yellow rolled up beside me and opened its door.

Regaining my motor skills almost immediately, I wasted no time leaping into the back seat. Looking back out the door, I saw Sam and Mikaela on the ground. “Come on!” I yelled at them, motioning with my hands frantically.

The former was trying to convince the latter, who was protesting to get in the car. “Trust me! Trust me!” Sam shouted as he led Mikaela, diving into the driver’s seat on the other side. “Get in!” Thankfully she followed his example.

Bee’s door slammed shut right behind her before the he shifted into gear and sped off as Sam yelled, “Gogogogo!” Behind, Barricade charged after us, transforming as he ran before pursuing us in vehicle mode, his police lights flashing furiously.

“Hang on!” I suggested to the newcomers, taking care to brace my own arms against the backs of both their seats.

Mikaela and Sam’s heads snapped around to look at me. “Who are you?!” Mikaela asked.

“I’m the ghost that haunts this car!” I screamed, flinging my arms wide in exasperation. “Does that really matter right now?! I’m a friend, now hang on!”

We emerged from a cloud of dust, Barricade following not far behind. While I realized that speeding down a road and swerving around other cars simultaneously was a difficult feat, I still wished that Bee would go a bit faster. It was a bit nerve-racking that the Decepticon was attempting to pass us.

"GO GO GO GO!” Sam yelled.

“Oh my gawd we’re gonna die! We’re gonna die! We’re gonna die! Oh my gawd!” Mikaela shrieked.

“No we’re not gonna die! Trust me he’s a kick@$$ driver!” Sam tried to reassure her, though he was fighting panic of his own.

Tumbling around the back seat a bit as it swerved, I tried to find something to grab on to. My hands eventually landed on the back of the driver’s seat, which I clung to for dear life. “Calm down, you guys!” I yelled, trying desperately to keep calm myself. Funny how I’d always found this scene amusing before. It wasn’t nearly as humorous when you were actually in it.

If they heard me at all, the teenagers gave no indication that they had because we all saw a rapidly approaching dead end. Sam screamed, “Oh no, bad idea! WE’RE GONNA DIE!” while Mikaela just screamed.

Thankfully the dead end was made of glass and we drove right through into a large, mostly empty warehouse, Barricade still close behind. Of course I say mostly empty because Bumblebee managed to find the sole stack of dusty boxes in the room and drive through them as well. Then without warning he turned sharply in the dust, sending us into tire-screeching loops, during which I struggled to keep a grip on the seat while the g-force sucked me outwards. And we continued spinning until Bumblebee regained his grip and headed out the same way we’d come in, bursting back out of the shattered window and onto the road.

Thinking maybe I could help by keeping an eye on our pursuer, I reluctantly relinquished my hold on the driver’s seat. Turning around, I knelt on the back seat backwards, bracing myself as best I could on the ‘dash’ or whatever you’d call it in front of the rear window. The position wasn’t very safe, but at least I felt like I was being useful.

As the Decepticon struggled to catch up, from its sides rose what looked like…

Oh no.

“INCOMMING!” I yelled just before the rockets came flying at us. I ducked, holding onto the seats as tightly as I could while Bumblebee swerved and dodged. For every rocket that missed its mark, which was thankfully all of them, there was an explosion on either side of the car.

I decided to abandon my unsafe position and went right back to gripping the front seat.

“This isn’t happening! This is not happening!” Mikaela was screaming as she and Sam were basically thrown together.

Sam tried to control the car, but Bee’s wheel slid through his fingers no matter how tightly the teen gripped it. So instead he decided to pound on it and shout, “Whatever, whoever, wherever you came from, just goooo!”

At that point the three of us realized that we were headed towards yet another rapidly approaching dead end, only this time it was solid brick. I bear-hugged the seat, bracing myself for impact, but instead I ended up using the seat for something to hang on to when Bumblebee did another incredibly fast 180 spin, which left us facing directly at our pursuer.

“Bad idea, bad idea! Sucha bad idea right now!” Sam yelled as and the car lurched forward.

Barricade didn’t falter as he continued charging and showering rockets at the same time. One almost hit on the left side, but with ridiculous agility Bumblebee dodged it just in time. Funny, I thought. I don’t remember ROCKETS BEING PART OF THE CHASE!

“Was that a missile?” Sam exclaimed as the two turned around to follow the rocket.

“Yeah, I think so!” Mikaela answered, watching it detonate an entire building behind us before turning back around. “Uh-huh, yes, definitely a missile.”

Still playing chicken, both transformers swerved away from each other at the last minute, the sounds of tire screeching almost indistinguishable against the occupant’s screams.

It took a while, but eventually we actually lost Barricade, or to the point where he wasn’t behind us at least. Going at a much slower pace now, Bumblebee quietly circled around the warehouse before stopping suddenly. When I looked ahead, I could see why. A few blocks ahead, Barricade passed from left to right, his police-lights flashing silently. He hadn’t seen us, but I knew the double-take was coming. Discreetly, Bumblebee backed up against the wall of the warehouse, turned off his headlights and engine, and locked the doors.

Immediately Sam and Mikaela were at the locks, trying to undo them to no avail. “We’re locked in.” Sam stated. He tried the ignition, hitting the dash in frustration when it didn’t budge. “Car won’t start. At least we ditched the monster right?”

“Sam.” I hissed quietly as I stared forward with Mikaela, knowing what was coming. I clutched the seat tighter and exhaled a shaky breath. For a moment, everything was silent.

Once again, Barricade passed by. This time, we weren’t so lucky. We heard his brakes squeaked as he came to a stop, just beyond our range of vision.

Sam glanced down at the ignition, which was now turning without him, starting itself. “Okay,” he said, not daring to move. “Time to start.”

At that moment, Bumblebee’s tires spun with a terrible screeching sound as he put the petal to the metal, accelerating as quickly as he could to get out of there.

Barricade backed up into our line of sight and stopped just before hitting Bee, who sped out of the alley and across an empty lot. The Decepticon wasted no time in following. Even though I knew it was coming, I was still surprised when Bumblebee spun with his right door open, sending Sam, Mikaela and I unceremoniously out onto the pavement.

While this was extremely disorienting, I still managed to whirl around in time to watch Bumblebee transform from behind, slamming his fists into the ground threateningly on his way up. Though I’d seen it before, I was no less in awe than Sam and Mikaela, for whom it was the first time. Once reassembled, Bee took a fighting stance between us and Barricade, a few parts still clicking into place as he did so. As he shifted his feet backwards, the teenagers and I struggled to our feet and backed up.

The police car was now charging at full speed towards us with no signs of stopping, and though Bee stood firm, I had enough sense to remember this scene. “Get down!” I cried, jumping and pressing my hands down on the teenagers’ shoulders.

They didn’t need any encouraging, and we all ducked back into the dirt as Barricade transformed again. Without losing momentum, he lunged at Bumblebee with a deep battle cry, knocking the Autobot head over heels into the concrete with a smack and a shower of sparks. I flinched; it hurt just looking at it.

Barricade spun off to the side with his own fireworks show, growling who knows what in Cybertronian. When he regained his footing, he faced us and unveiled a spikey weapon that spun dangerously and flicked it around almost like nun-chucks.

The teenagers did their best to scoot away, as did I, but I was also trying to focus on what would happen next.

Sure enough, flinging out of Barricade’s chassis like the hyperactive little machine he was, out came Frenzy with his own battle cry before he charged us. That and the fact that Barricade was charging Bee again, who was trying to shield us, which meant that there were three alien robots headed this way, sent the three of us moving pretty quickly.

“Turn!” I yelled, getting the teenagers to change their course just before Barricade sent Bumblebee into some nearby machinery, sending out yet another wave of sparks. I cringed again, but Bee didn’t miss a beat. Flipping back to his feet, he launched at Barricade, grabbed him and threw him into a small security building, sending the biggest explosion of sparks I’d seen yet into the night sky.

“YEAH!” I screamed in a voice unnaturally deep for a tween girl, temporarily forgetting to flee and sending pumping my fists in excitement. “SMACKDOWN!” I’ll admit that even as a kid I had an unusual, man-like love of fight scenes, especially when I knew the bad guy was going to get owned by a good guy. I would have loved to have watched the giant Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots match, especially since the movie never shows just how Bumblebee beats Barricade, but my priorities were put back into place at the sound of Sam screaming, “HE’S GONNA KILL ME!”

When I found Sam, he was already out of his pants. I caught up with them just in time to see Sam kick Frenzy off before turning and running. I ran after the spazz-bot who was hopping strangely, but he was so fast Screaming-Sam could hardly keep ahead of him. After Sam fell over waist-high chicken wire fence and down the hill, with Frenzy tumbling after, I tried to vault the same boarder. But my out-of-shape-ness screwed me over and sent me rolling down the hill in a similar fashion. The teenager slammed into a chain-link fence and hadn’t so much as stood up before Frenzy was on top him. Literally.

“Get OFF!” Sam yelled as he through the screaming metal-skeleton off his back, away from him and into the dirt. In one smooth motion, Frenzy leapt back to his feet, his feet tapping the ground speedily as he prepared to charge.

But before he could, I suddenly leapt into the fray. I don’t know why, being that it was such a stupid idea. I knew that Mikaela would come back with a power saw and that Sam would be fine. I also knew that Frenzy was fully capable of killing armed adults, so I have no idea what I was thinking, but for whatever reason I soon found myself attacking the tiny Decepticon. Running after him at full speed, I launched and Frenzy and tackled him to the ground. Down he went with a bout of surprised Cybertronian sputtering before immediately fighting to get away.

“LEAVE SAM ALONE!” I screamed as I clung to the little demon with all my might. However, not only was Frenzy stronger than me, but his metal frame was very sharp and it cut into my skin. Clenching my teeth against the pain, I tried to pin down his flailing appendages, but I was quickly losing the battle. With one more arm-wrenching yank, the Decepticon broke free of my grip. So much for helping.

Thankfully, just before the little bugger could attack whoever he wanted to, Mikaela came streaking down the hill and began slicing away at him with her… Whoa wait, she had a chainsaw! Frenzy screamed in pain as Mikaela hacked him down to pieces like a psycho-chainsaw-murderer-of-evil-robots, while Sam shouted “Getitgetitgetitgetitgetitgetit!”

When she had cut him up sufficiently, she flipped her hair back out of her face and stood panting with Sam, watching the only part of Frenzy that was still alive; his head, which groaned as it attempted to hop away. I braced myself up in the dirt, panting just as hard as they.

“See? Not so tough without a head are you?” Sam said and rushed forward.

“No wait don’t!” I yelled, reaching out to stop him. But my warning came too late, for there went Frenzy’s head, sailing back up, over the hill and out of sight. I sighed, flopping back down to the ground, attempting to regain my breath. Oh well. I could still get to him later. “And they say you’re bad at sports?” I managed to joke.

The teenagers’ attention turned back to me at the sound of my voice. “Are you okay?” Mikaela asked as she came over and helped me to my feet.

Standing with a grunt, I replied “I think so,” as I glanced at myself. Cuts, scrapes and bruises would appear soon, but thankfully nothing serious.

After brushing off the dirt I’d been wallowing in, I looked up at Sam. He looked at me with a confused, surprised expression, gaping slightly. “Um… Thanks for doing that.” He found his words. “I woulda been screwed if you hadn’t.”

I shook my head. “You would have been fine.” Ignoring the teenagers’ confusion at this statement, I looked up and recognized where to go next. Without so much as a ‘Come on!’ I began to run along the chain-link fence, wanting to get to the Autobot before Sam and Mikaela did.

As soon as I saw Bee I ran right up to him. “Didja give him what-for?” I asked, still panting when I reached his side.

“I thought I told you--to stay out of trouble.” Bumblebee said as he put his weapon away, looking down at me pointedly as he stooped, getting down to my level. “Which is exactly—what you—didn’t do! You could’ve been killed-or worse! Don’t you ever do that again!”

I looked down at my feet, my face hot from exercise and embarrassment. Had he been…worried about me? No, no one ever worried about me. “Okay.” I said meekly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t meant to… *sigh* I’m sorry.”

Bee nodded in affirmation as he straightened up to his full height.

“But,” I said, regaining his attention. “Did you… Did you get him good?” I looked up hopefully.

The Autobot paused before shrugging, “I--beat him so bad he’ll need a shoehorn to put his hat on.” His radio boasted.

A grin stretched across my face. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!” I said happily.

At that, Bumblebee produced pleased-sounding whir and smiled down at me. “Come on,” he said, motioning towards the hill, knowing that Sam and Mikaela were on the other side. “Let’s go meet the new recruits."

* * *

  ** _Though I’m using both the movie and the book, I’m not going to cite things specifically from the book. If you want to know if something comes from me or the book, just ask & I’ll answer truthfully. Review/comment plz!_**


	6. Chapter 6

As I walked along side Bumblebee, (Well, walked is a loose term. I basically had to jog to keep up with his long strides), I caught snippets of Sam and Mikaela’s dialogue. Neither of them could take their eyes off the approaching behemoth as they talked.

“What is it?”

“It’s a robot. But like a… Like a different, you know, like a super-advanced robot. It’s probably Japanese. Yeah. It’s definitely Japanese. She could be controlling it.” Sam nodded briefly in my direction.

I snorted and glanced up at the super-advanced robot, who looked down at me with an expression of equal amusement. Me? Control him? Now _that_ would be weird.

“ _What’re you doing?_ ” Mikaela whisper-yelled after Sam, who was beginning to take a few cautious, shuffling steps towards us. “This thing didn’t just come out of a cereal box!”

“I don’t think it wants to hurt us; it would’ve done that already.” Sam reasoned as Bumblebee came to a halt. I stopped a few feet back and off to the side, allowing Bee to take center stage; he was by far the more interesting specimen.

“Really? Well, do you speak robot because they just had like a giant _droid death match!_ ” Mikaela whispered the last three words intensely. “Maybe it’s only intermission! Maybe we’re the second round!”

Once Sam was pretty close, Bumblebee leaned over, picked something out of the dirt and held it out to Sam. Know what it was? Sam’s pants. Sam’s irreparable, extremely torn and dirty pair of jeans. I just about lost it then and there. But apparently they were an improvement over his boxers, for Sam muttered, “Uh, thanks.” and proceeded to struggle into what was left of his trousers.

It was strange, the feeling I experienced standing with Bumblebee as we looked down at the teenagers-which of course was only because I was further up the hill than them. Something about being on the same side of the huge, powerful being that had them so awe-struck. What was it? Empowerment? Smugness? That was giving it a bit much, but I did feel a certain sense of ‘I know something you don’t,’ but it wasn’t demeaning of them in any way. Maybe it was just the familiarity of what was happening; that just the foreknowledge had me feeling if not powerful, then at least a bit special.

Whatever it was, I smiled slightly in a strange sort of contentedness as Sam continued to study Bumblebee, who stared back in what appeared to be equal curiosity.

“I think it wants something from me.”

I glanced up at Bee, who had placed his hands on his hips and was now shifting his right foot to create a wider stance. His overall stature gave off a heroic aura. Was he unaware of it? Or was he milking the situation for the fun of it, which is not something I can say I wouldn’t have done under similar circumstances.

“What?” Mikaela asked in a ‘Are you serious?’ tone.

“Well ‘cuz the other one was talkin’ about my eBay page.”

“What’s up with _that?_ You selling batteries or something?” When Sam didn’t respond, Mikaela blinked and moved her hands in a downward motion of exasperation. “You are the strangest boy I have ever met.”

Unexpectedly, Sam’s eyes turned towards me. “Can he talk?” he asked.

I crossed my arms and tilted my head towards Bumblebee, my smile widening a bit. “Why don’t you ask him?”

Sam complied, stepping back so that he could see Bee’s face better, and asked, “Can you, talk? Communicate? In words we could understand?”

“XM Satellite Radio--digital cable brings you--Columbia Broadcasting System-” Bumblebee shifted through various clips of sound to convey his method of communication.

“So you, you talk through the radio?”

“Thank you, you’re beautiful. You’re wonderful, you’re wonderful.” What sounded like a talk show host blared from Bumblebee’s speakers as he clapped his hands and then pointed at Sam in affirmation of his deduction.

“So what was that last night? I saw you send something up into the sky. What was that?” Sam asked as Mikaela timidly came up beside him, not once taking her eyes of the giant machine.

“Message from Starfleet, Captain—throughout the inanimate vastness of space—will rain down like visitors from heaven halleluiah!”

“You were calling someone? Or trying to?” Sam asked.

“Visitors from heaven…” Mikaela muttered to herself, a look of realization crossing over her face. Gazing up at said visitor, she asked, “What… What are you, like an alien or something?”

With a mechanical, very alien noise of confirmation, Bumblebee pointed at Mikaela before transforming back into his vehicle form. “Any more questions you wanna ask?” said his speakers, warbling a bit, as his passenger side door opened to the teenagers.

While the two in question debated over whether or not to go, I went around to the other side and hopped in the front seat.

“What’re you doin’?” the radio asked as I buckled up. “Aren’t you a little too young to be driving?”

“They won’t have the guts to sit up front.” I said, crossing my legs up on the seat so that they’d be away from the petals. “Believe me, I know.” Looking out the passenger door, I watched Sam deliver one of my favorite lines, reciting it along with him in my head.

“Fifty years from now, when you’re looking back on your life, don’t you want to be able to say you had the guts to get in the car?”

My smile broadened as the teenagers joined us, and I could almost hear the upbeat music playing that would be playing in the background of this scene-Wait, it was actually playing from the radio-as Mikaela crawled into the back seat and Sam sat shotgun. After we’d stopped for Mikaela’s purse, which I’d empty of certain unwanted content later, we were on our way.

As we drove off, I caught a glimpse of something sparking at the bottom of the hill. _Is that…?_ When I looked down out the open window, I was extremely amused to find a barely-functioning Barricade, pinned beneath a heavy wrecking ball.

“You dropped a wrecking ball on him?!” I exclaimed, unable to keep my laughter from spilling out.

“My computer beat me at checkers, but I sure beat it at kickboxing.” Bee responded.

I leaned back in the seat as I laughed. “Oh, I wish I coulda seen it!”

Sam and Mikaela looked at me. “So, if he’s an alien,” The boy asked when I’d calmed down. “Then what does that make you?”

I grinned. “Well, I’m not his controller, I’m not a ghost, and I’m not an alien.” I ticked off the suggestions on my fingers. “I’m just a kid. I’m normal, like you, only I…know stuff.”

“Know stuff?” Mikaela repeated, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Like what?”

I bit my lip and looked away, wondering just how much I should reveal. “Like… Stuff about him,” I nodded to the dashboard in front of us. “Stuff about you two,” I tilted my head sideways at the teenagers without looking at them. “Stuff that’s happening half the world away, and…” my emotions suddenly darkened as I remembered what was to come. I turned towards them in a new air of severity. “Stuff that will happen.”

Suspicion, concern and disbelief were their responding emotions. “… How much stuff about us?” Mikaela asked.

“Oh, don’t worry!” I reassured them, waving my hands in protest. “Nothing private! Just stuff that’s just happened, that’s all.”

“Such as?”

“Well…” How deep could I get into this without getting into trouble? I wasn’t sure, so I avoided the question. “I didn’t get here till Sam bought his ‘car.’” I used air quotes.

“Wait, get here?”

“Yeah...” I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. Maybe this wasn’t the best direction to go. “I’ve kinda been…hiding in here since you bought him.”

“What?! Where?!”

I winced a bit at the volume of Sam’s voice. “In the trunk…”

“My dad and I checked the truck before we bought the car. There was nothing in it!”

“I moved. He lifted his back seats and let me out. When you shut the trunk, I went back in.”

“So…you’ve been in here this whole time?!”

I ducked my head in a bit, hunching my shoulders in shame. “Yeah.”

“Okay, that is like, _majorly_ creepy.” Mikaela stated. “But, why are you here?”

“I wanna help!” I quipped cheerfully, my head popping back up. “If I know what’s going to happen, maybe I can fix it! Plus,” I grabbed my necklace and showed it to Sam and Mikaela. “I wasn’t safe. That cop car-his name’s Barricade-saw me with this.”

Sam studied the symbol for a moment. “Wait,” he said. “That’s the same symbol that’s on the steering wheel.”

“Uh huh! These are the good guys!” I held out my necklace proudly. “You can trust anyone with this!”

Sam nodded. “Good to know. But wait, how do you _know_ all this stuff about us and aliens and…the future? If we choose to believe that. Are you supposed to be an oracle or somethin’?”

At the mention of an oracle, all I could think of was the mummy from The Lightning Thief. “Ewwww gross!”I shook my head and made a face. “No, nothing magic-y like that.”

“Then how?”

I looked out the window, trying to think of a way to answer. Maybe it would be easier just to say everything at once, so I wouldn’t have to repeat myself. “It’s a long story.” I told them. “I’ll tell everyone when the rest get here.”

Mikaela looked nervous. “Rest?”

“The ‘visitors from heaven’!” a smile broke out on my face when I thought of the other coming Autobots. “We’ll be meeting them soon. I can’t wait!”

“So,” Sam started, clearly still trying to piece everything together. “If you do know the future, when they get here… What’s going to happen? Is it going to be dangerous?”

“… I don’t think I should-”

The boy burst a bit. “Just answer me! Is it going to be dangerous?!”

I stared wide-eyed at Sam, a bit startled and not really sure what to say. I didn’t blame him for being so worried, but there wasn’t much I could say to reassure him. I could lie, but I didn’t want to do that. Or I could tell them the truth; that it would be dangerous but in the end they’d be fine. Either way though, I didn’t think they’d believe me. I was pretty sure they didn’t really believe I knew the future. Who would believe something like that without proof? (Honestly, probably me. I’m quite gullible.) But that was the problem; I couldn’t just go and tell them everything that would happen. I had to be very careful about this; about who I told what. For all I knew, if I told them I’d only screw everything up. I could not, _was_ not going to let that happen.

When I didn’t respond, Sam groaned, fell back into his seat and looked out the window, and I heard him say, “What have I gotten us into?”

Mikaela sighed, but refrained from speaking as she propped herself between the two front seats. I had noticed something about her. She seemed more…real. More so than her character in the Transformers movie at least. Like she was there for more than just eye candy. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that every way she moved wasn’t a pose accenting her curvy, perfect figure. For instance, the way she’d sat in this scene had made her chest a whole lot more noticeable in the film. Not so this time. She sat like a normal, real person, and I was really thankful for it.

As we entered the tunnel, we three humans had fallen to just watching the steering wheel in front of me as it turned. I had discreetly taken a deep breath before entering the tunnel and was trying to see if I could hold it until we got out, and by got I mean when Bumblebee would kick us out. It’s a childish habit I gained when I was little, but I still do it even today.

“This car’s a pretty good driver.” Mikaela broke the silence.

“…Yeah.” Was Sam’s only response. That is, until he got his idea. “Hey, maybe you should sit in my lap.”

Mikaela’s face was the definition of ‘Really?’ “Why?”

“W-well, I have the only seat belt here, besides the kid’s, and I don’t think you wanna sit on her lap. You know, safety first.”

I considered calling Sam out on what I thought was a pretty stupid line, but then again Mikaela was a strong woman. In the movie she wouldn’t have a choice, but here she was real. If she didn’t want to, she wouldn’t. Then again, if she did, it meant that she wanted to sit with Sam, and that would mean that she really did like him. Who was I to sway her decision?

Geez, this was a long tunnel.

After a long sigh, Mikaela gave in. “Yeah, alright.” She said quietly as she moved forward.

“Alright?”

“Yeah.”

I couldn’t hold it anymore. While they were moving around, I took the opportunity to let my breath go in a huff.

“Okay. Now you see, that’s better.” Sam said as Mikaela leaned against him while he buckled them in. Again I noticed that Mikaela wasn’t posing, even though I wasn’t looking at them directly. I was quite embarrassed to witness this scene at such a close proximity. Even so, I had to smile at Sam’s face of ‘Is this actually happening to me?’

“You know that seatbelt thing was a pretty smooth move.” Mikaela told Sam begrudgingly, who gave a few breaths of laughter into Mikaela’s long, dark hair. He seemed genuinely happy.

“Thank you.”

“In front of a kid though?”

“Ah, she don’t mind.”

I rolled my eyes, shook my head, smirked at the two, and turned to look out the window.

“Wait a sec,” Mikaela said, raising her voice to address someone other than Sam. If I knew the movie, and I did, she’d probably be talking to Bumblebee at this point. “If you can, like, reshape yourself, why’d you pick such a hoopty?”

The upbeat music was turned off with a comical downward-sounding noise, the wheel turned, and the stick shift pushed all the way forward, sending Bee’s tires screeching as he braked and swung off to the left. I gripped my seat, grinning in anticipation as Sam yelled, “Whoa-oa!” right before we came to a complete stop.

“Oh see no g-no that doesn’t work.” Sam stuttered in frustration as he and Mikaela exited out their propped open door. “See?”

“ _Move it, ya moron!_ ” shouted some rude guy behind us.

For some reason that really pissed me off. I was just about to hop out and give the guy what for, when my seatbelt tightened around me. Not in a constricting way, but enough for me to notice. I looked at the dashboard in surprise. “You want me to stay?” I asked.

I got no response but took Bumblebee’s driving away without letting me out, doing a 180 with his tires squealing and his passenger door still open, as permission to stay.

“She didn’t mean it,” I tried to reassure Bee as he slammed the door shut while driving away from the teenagers. I was going to elaborate, I really was, but I couldn’t find anything to say that was both truthful and not-lame sounding. It was a pretty bad model…

“I'm gonna make a change/for once in my life/It's gonna feel real good,” the radio sang soulfully as Bee continued down the street. Then the tune buzzed away and was replaced with “Hold onto your butt.”

Barely registering the warning in time, I leaned out the window and braced myself against Bee’s side and roof, so that when he tipped over and drove on only his right wheels, I was able to hold myself against gravity. My quick shriek of surprise disintegrated into peals of excited laughter. I had always wondered if the ski move was necessary to scan or if Bumblebee was just showing off; something about the circumstances at least brought the latter to mind. Though when I was actually riding it I didn’t really care.

Then that hot, 2006 Chevrolet Camaro concept, complete with a bright yellow coat and jet black racing stripes, drove nonchalantly by. If I’d been in a less precarious situation, I would’ve let out a low whistle. I’ll admit it-Transformers has made me a lot more appreciative of nice vehicles.

When it passed under us, I was able to see the flash of blue energy briefly outline the vehicle before it sped off. “Whoa,” I breathed in surprise, then, “WHOA!” I yelled, feeling Bumblebee begin to tip. I was just able to draw myself back inside before it landed roughly back on all four wheels. “Geez!” I yelped after being jostled around. “That was… Whoa.” The third time’s the charm.

As I watched, mystified, Bee’s entire form began to change. Flowing, shifting, folding in on itself, out of the rusty bucket of a car emerged a new, sleek, powerful frame. I saw and felt the old, sun-worn leather evolving above, below and all around me into the luxurious interior of a freshly-bought car. He even had the new car smell!

“You know,” I said aloud, stretching my eyes wide to take in every detail. “I always wondered how a car with your _exact_ color-design passed by at _exactly_ the moment you needed it.”

I had to laugh at the radio’s response: “Some things you just don’t question.”

When Bumblebee was done changing, he did another 180 and went back for Sam and Mikaela, Battle Without Honor or Humanity beginning to play from his speakers. I watched in immense amusement as the teenagers both turned, Sam with his hands behind his head in frustration, to see us coming. When we stopped, both their faces were covered in awe.

Sam lowered is arms. “What?”

“BAM BAM BAM!” I sang along with the climax of the instrumental, punching out the beats before falling back in the seat with delighted laughter.

As Sam scrambled to get the passenger door for Mikaela, I popped open my own and stepped out. I had to see the work-of-art exterior for myself.

Bee’s new disguise identical to the one he had scanned, down to the last detail, except for one thing: under the labeling _Camaro_ on his left side was an Autobot insignia every bit as shiny as the rest of him.

My composure quickly crumbled into a delighted squeal as I ran around the redone Autobot. “This is so COOL!” I fangirled, trying to take in as much of Bee’s new appearance as possible before I had to get back in. Sammy had taken my seat in front; apparently the temptation of the new car overtook his previous fear of the alien robot. Still, getting into the brand new back seat wasn’t too bad either.

“So you like what you see?” the new, high-tech radio asked.

“You look fan _tas_ tic!” I reassured Bumblebee.

Metal blasted from the new speakers, giving off a smug air as the Autobot continued on towards our destination.

* * *

 

After driving a while longer, we came to an area fenced off for renovation. Gently pushing through the gates, Bumblebee entered the facility before pulling up in front of what looked like a very important government building. Heck if I cared though. As soon as he stopped, I immediately jumped out and ran to the front of his disguised form, trying to catch a glimpse of what was coming from beyond the building. Behind me, Sam and Mikaela got out more cautiously.

Searching intently, standing on my tip-toes in my efforts to see more, I noticed that the clouds were lit up with a streaking, flashing light from inside like lightning in a storm, but there was no thunder.

A wide smile stretched across my face. “Lights!” I exclaimed gleefully. “Lights in the sky!”

The teenagers came around Bee’s front to join me, but they stuck a lot closer to him, and to each other. Behind me, I knew that Mikaela was slowly, tentatively reaching out for Sam’s hand. I couldn’t blame her; the sight of four big comets flying down out of the clouds and heading towards you is quite an intimidating sight.

A bright flash startled the three of us, followed by another, then the comets flew overhead. They split off into separate directions, but the biggest one continued right over our heads. It whizzed by with a firework-like sound, leaving a trail of smoke and light as it disappeared over the hill.

Unseen impact shook the earth so hard I fell to the ground and the teenagers fell into each other. I braced myself up on my hands and knees, staring at the pavement in shock for a moment before I lifted my head and looked in the direction the meteor had disappeared.

The shrubs at the top of the hill were in flames.

I stared at them, thinking of what lay beyond.

And I smiled.

As soon as I regained my footing I was after it with near-crazy grin of excitement that would not be erased, Sam and Mikaela right on my heels.

“You know, maybe we should be running _in the opposite direction!_ ” Mikaela panted as Sam dragged her along.

“I think if there was any danger, _he_ would have stopped us from going.” Sam reasoned, jerking his head back at Bumblebee, who had stayed behind.

“Oh, that’s fine! I didn’t realize you two were on speaking terms now!”

“C’mon, aren’t you curious to see what it is?”

“I’m curious about how an acetylene torch works too, I just don’t go sticking my nose into the flame!”

I ignored the bickering teenagers and focused on my running, which needed paying attention to. I’ve always been sort of a weakling, so sprints and endurance runs have never been strong points of mine. My side was already starting to hurt, and I knew that I’d be breathless soon. But in that moment, I didn’t care. I just kept running, my grin never fading.

When we reached the top, Sam and Mikaela stopped to survey the destruction done to the hillside. Half of a smaller hill had been demolished during impact, and after that a trail of turned up dirt and fire marked where the meteor had plowed through the earth. A dead tree unlucky enough to be in the wake of devastation was burning.

Undeterred, I ignored the teenagers’ yelling after me and continued down the hill, my feet only just able to keep up with my body against gravity. At the end of all the debris, I could just barely see the meteor. It was long and oblong, shaped somewhat like a dinosaur egg. I knew the metal it was made from was immeasurably detailed, though was unable to see it myself from my distance. It was glowing in places and still smoking immensely, for it still radiated dangerous amounts of heat.

As I got closer I could see it start to move; expanding, pushing outwards. Picture it like a chick hatching from an egg, only the egg is part of the chick too. Also the chick is a giant robot.

My feet thudded heavily to a halt before I even got close; my awe and respect for _who_ was emerging overriding my insatiable excitement. I saw his huge form rise in the distance, though not as huge as he would be once he’d gotten his armor. He crouched, which was uncharacteristic for him, and fled the scene of destruction as stealthily as a giant robot can. Yet in how he ran, in his immense, powerful strides, I could see in how he moved that it _was_ still him.

I stood and watched until he was gone, then I began the long run back up the hill. The teenagers hadn’t moved, still awestruck from what they’d just seen. Sure this was all a lot to take in, but I wished they would quit stopping when we needed to get going.

“Come on!” I managed to grunt at them as I ran by.

“Wait! Where are you going? What was that thing?!” They cried behind me, but I didn’t answer. I just kept putting one foot in front of the other as quickly as I was able to manage.

The run back up the final hill was brutal, but I made it none the less. Sam and Mikaela, being in better shape than I, had reached Bumblebee first. Seeing my sad condition, Sam quickly ran around and opened the back door for me. I gratefully fell through and landed in the back seat.

“Geez kid,” Sam muttered concernedly as I lay there, trying to catch my breath. “You okay? You don’t look too hot.”

My legs, sides, stomach, throat and lungs were all in pain. I was short on breath, dizzy, and a bit queasy. I was regretting never getting into sports more and more by the second. Yet, as lay there in Bumblebee’s back seat, I could not physically keep my smile back.

“They’re here.” I said softly, a small, awed chuckle breaking out between my panting. I felt and heard a low rumble behind my eyes, which were becoming wet and blurry. “They’re really here!”

No one really had a reply to that. Sam, after a pause, shut the door behind me and walked around to the front to sit in the driver’s seat. Mikaela watched me from the passenger seat with worry and confusion, as if she wanted to help be but didn’t know quite how to react. She looked at Sam, who said something reassuring to her, before they both shot me one last glance of uncertainty and turned around to the front.

As Bumblebee rolled onto the street, I felt the seat below me shift a bit. A giggle, barely there at all, escaped me as I felt something wrap around my heaving frame. What had to be the middle seat belt reached over me from behind, fell diagonally across my waist, then dug gently under my ribs until it reached the buckle beneath me with a soft _click_.

I allowed myself to fall deeper into the seat, letting the rumbling engine sooth my breathing back to a normal rate, and permitted myself a few moments of security while I could.

Because it was only a matter of time before the nervous jitters begun.

* * *

 

**_I MADE A RELATIVELY SHORT SCENE SUPER LONG HEHAaaa… Yeah, sorry about that. I promise the ‘Bots will be in the next chapter, and right away! No more beating around the bush as they say._ **

**_Anywho, hope you enjoyed it! Review/comment please!_ **


	7. Chapter 7

By the time we entered that dark alley where everything would happen, my breathing had returned to normal. Or it’d had time to. Now I struggled to keep it regular again. I’d sat up in my seat, having recovered from the soreness of everything, and was trying desperately to keep both my body and my thoughts under control. I was excited- No, ecstatic-I needed a new word! But I was also _extremely_ nervous.

First, I was no good at meeting new people anyway. I’ve mentioned it before; first impressions are not a strong point of mine. Just the possibility of the entire meeting being one big screw-up worried me.

Second, add that to the fact that I was actually meeting characters that up until a few days ago were fictional. Now they were real, alive, and _here._ Not just any characters either. Characters I admired, idolized and yes, even loved. They all had a special place in my heart, a place I had pushed down, hidden away because of cruel reality. I had kept it down since I’d met Bumblebee because circumstances had demanded it, but he was among these characters so dear to me. But now they _were_ reality, and the place in my heart reserved for these characters could come out from its hiding place.

And it threatened to burst.

 _The last thing I want to do_ , I thought to myself. _Is fangirl._ I had read many a fanfiction where the person lucky enough to go into the world they were a fan of would absolutely _freak out_. This is exactly what I felt like doing, and what I was afraid I would do, but it was something I _would not_ do. I wanted, needed to be taken seriously, which would be hard enough to accomplish as a child. Add to that the fact that I had some _very_ important information that could possibly change the course of the story, the _history_ of this world, and you can see how important it was that I was heeded and believed.

That information was the final reason I was so nervous. How would they react? Would they believe me at all? How much should I tell, and how much should I just let happen?

I let my head fall into my tote bag, which _somehow_ I’d been able to keep with me. _This is too much,_ I thought, beginning to panic. _I can’t do this! There’s too much to think about, too much responsibility for me! Oh God why couldn’t you have picked someone smarter, stronger, older?_

Forcing my head up again, I huddled in the backseat of Bumblebee’s vehicle mode. I hugged my tote bag to my chest, having nothing else to hold on to, and brought my knees as close as I could. Subconsciously I think I was trying to curl myself into a ball.

 _No, calm down._ I forced myself to breathe deeply, trying to slow down my jackhammer of a heart. Then I lowered my feet to the floor and slipped the straps of my tote bag over my shoulder. I swallowed thickly, rubbing my hands on my jeans to dry them of the buckets of sweat they were creating. _Gross_ , I thought in mild disgust of my bodily functions. _Well, at least I wouldn’t be shaking any hands._

When Bumblebee came to a complete stop, I took one more deep breath before gently undoing my seatbelt, opening my door and stepping out. The alley was exactly as the movie had portrayed it: dark, damp, with trash blowing in the wind. Fog obscured the road ahead, through which I could make out bright headlights.

Then _he_ came through.

That Peterbilt 379, blue with red flames on the front came rolling out of the fog.

At the sound of a splash, the teenagers and I whirled to see a silver Pontiac Solstice GXP coming in from behind, followed by a yellow-with-red-accents Search and Rescue Hummer H2, which warbled its sirens, and a black GMC Topic C4500 pickup truck. Each of them, including the semi and Bumblebee, were all heavily modified in ways that you could not normally get them. This, combined with the overall choice of nice vehicles, is what probably made Sam mutter, “That’s it. Earth’s being invaded by alien car buffs.”

That semi kept coming, its huge engine rumbling and puffing steam or smoke or whatever the alien robot equivalent was. Just the size of the truck was intimidating-the grille alone was bigger than me-but I knew that he would get much bigger. Further and further he came up to the three of us, until Sam and Mikaela were forced to step back. I, either brave or too stunned to move, stood my ground. The truck stopped inches away, breaks hissing, and I stared at the Autobot insignia on its front.

No sooner than he braked he started to transform. First the grille popped out, then the sides, and everything else became a shifting, changing, moving and replacing mass of complicated parts.

And it was growing.

Slowly he transformed, careful of his new parts, new armor, new body. He stepped away from us as he formed legs and continued to climb, everything pushing outward. Great arms sprung free, crossing over himself before removing and a great head rose from a huge chest as he stood at his full height. First his battle mast was on, but it retracted to reveal a face, which he tipped back as the parts near his head continued to whirr and click, flashing out before popping into their new places. He seemed to take a deep breath and let it out, though they don’t breathe so I imagine it was more of a clearing of his systems. Segments continued rearranging themselves as you looked down his body, passed his torso to his legs, where his wheels spun as he took a step forward.

His finished transformation cued the others to begin theirs. All around Sam, Mikaela and I, other robots emerged from their vehicle forms. Bumblebee transformed off to the left. Past him the Topic reached forward as he transformed, using his arms to push himself to his feet. The Pontiac transformed into a crouched position, sticking his leg out, then lifted himself onto his hands and spun, looking a lot like a break dancer, before using only one hand to flip himself back onto his feet. The Hummer’s chassis rose up and back from his wheels, becoming hands, which he forced his weight onto and flipped to his feet, then his entire upper body rotated around to the front.

It was all a crazy amount to look at, and there’s absolutely no way in heck that I’d be able to describe it better for anyone who hasn’t seen it. All my nervousness ebbed away and was replaced with pure wonder as I watched something I’d so longed to see with my own eyes. I could not look away.

I was in heaven.

Then we turned around to who had been the semi-truck. As he came towards us, he had to continuously go down further to get to our level. This did nothing to diminish the sheer _size_ of him; He had to be somewhere around 28 to 32 feet tall! First on one knee, then on two, bracing himself up with his hands, his enormous form came incredibly close. His face, his large nose and brilliant blue eyes, stopped only about four feet away from our faces. As those eyes flashed over the three of us, over _me_ , I was frozen in place, and I thought if I had died then and there, I would die happy.

He opened his mouth to speak, and what came out was another language. Not Cybertronian, something formed of Earth vowels and sounds.

“Was that, Chinese?” Mikaela asked. “Classical Mandarin?” She was a lot smarter than she let on.

As she spoke, I could not help but close the distance between the robot and I until our faces were only inches apart. My head jerked forward a bit, and his went back a bit. I blinked, he blinked. We studied each other, curiosity evident on both ends. Then I suddenly remembered my place and stepped back, casting my eyes downwards.

“I dunno, but it would make sense,” Sam replied, neither his nor Mikaela’s eyes moving away from the robot. Of course I saw this out of the corner of my eyes, for I could not even blink let alone tear my gaze away. “If I was a new arrival on a new world, I’d start by trying to speak the language used by the largest number of people.”

Their exchange was all the aliens needed to right their language. In seconds the once-semi spoke again. Though his words were muted and meant to reassure-not frighten, his natural, impossibly deep, regal voice boomed through the alley.

“Do not fear. Freedom from fear and all these is the right if all sentient beings. We will never harm humans.”

_Yup, I’ve died and gone to heaven._

“Glad to hear it.” Sam replied. “Excellent policy. Stick to that as much as possible. ‘Specially when it involves me. Or her.” He nodded at Mikaela, probably due to her death stare. “And her.” Then at me.

The robot’s eyes turned to Sam. “Are you Samuel James Witwicky? Biological descendant of Archibald Witwicky?” he asked with an air of urgency.

“They know your name.” Mikaela breathed.

Sam hesitated before answering the alien. “Yeah.”

“My name is Optimus Prime.” The alien answered, looking between the three of us. There you go! Do you like how I kept you waiting even though both you and I knew his name? “We are autonomous robotic organisms from a very distant world; a suitably simple comprehensible identifier for you might be Cybertron.”

“But you can call us Autobots for short.” The one who’d been the Hummer added. The way his face was designed made it look like he had a beard, primarily on the sides, and he stood at about 20 feet tall.

Sam stared on. “You _are_ aliens.” He stated.

“Autobots.” Mikaela breathed.

Optimus focused on her. “Just as there are no apposite translations for where we originate or what we are, there are none for our individual nomenclatures.”

Confused by the large words, as anyone would be, Sam asked, “You mean your names?”

Optimus nodded. Whether they had also picked up body language off the WWW, or their body language was just uncannily similar to ours, I did not know. “Yes. For convenience in communication we have selected namings from your vocabulary to approximate a combination of our localized camouflaged shapes as well as our particular temperaments. Though by you definition we are no more than ‘machines,’ we do possess individual characteristics and personalities as well as abilities and skills. For example…”

“What’s crackin’ little b%#*&es?” the Pontiac asked, his voice very ganster-like. He had a blue visor over his eyes and was the shortest of the group at around fifteen feet tall, but he still was very big to us.

“My first lieutenant: designation Jazz.”

Jazz did an acrobatic flip in the air, landing in a thoughtful position. “This looks like a cool place to kick it.” He stated before spinning and jumping backwards, landing on an old car like a human might a couch, shattering the glass beneath him.

“What is that? How’d he learn to talk like that?” Sam asked as I smiled and waved at Jazz. He studied me curiously, then he smiled in his own robotic way and repeated my gesture. _I just waved at Jazz!_ I thought giddily.

Optimus stood up to his full height. _And I called Bumblebee huge…_ “We’ve learned Earth’s languages from the World Wide Web. We did this just now. It was not difficult. The information is extensive, but the underlying conceptualizations are quite undemanding.”

I heard some robotic noises, and I knew behind us that the ‘round 22 feet tall Topic was getting ready for his introduction.

“Our weapons specialist, originally forged in the Tri-Peninsular Torus states of Praxus: Ironhide.”

Right on cue, Ironhide’s cannons appeared above his fists. He spun them impressively before pointing them at us, his right glowing yellow and his left glowing blue, both humming as they powered up. “You feelin’ _lucky_ , punk?” he asked, daring Sam to try something.

“Easy Ironhide.” Optimus cautioned. Sam and Mikaela, being an intelligent people, backed up a bit at the threatening cannons. I however, stared at them in unmasked awe. Yeah, I was a bit of a fan of large guns and explosives too. Definitely a pyro, me.

“Just kidding. I just wanted to show him my cannons.” Ironhide muttered. When he saw my lack of fear, he gestured towards me and said, “This one’s either brave or stupid.”

Snapping out of my stupor, I wrinkled my face at the giant, trigger-happy ‘Bot. “I’m not stupid.” I told him indignantly. “I just know you won’t hurt me.”

Ironhide leaned over, towering over me in a way that was terrifying. “And how do you know that I will not hurt you, little girl?” he asked in a voice that was both humoring and threatening.

“Because of you did, then he,” I pointed at Optimus. “Would kick your skid plate.”

The look on Ironhide’s face was amazing. Off to the side, I could hear and see Jazz and Bumblebee snickering. “She got ya there ‘Hide,” Jazz laughed.

Ironhide grumbled to himself. “Point taken,” he told me, albeit begrudgingly. “However… _you_ ,” he rose up and pointed his blue cannon at the silver ‘Bot. “Are not as fragile as a human might be.”

“That’s enough, you two,” Optimus interjected as Jazz and threw his hands up in comical surrender. Moving on, Prime indicated the Hummer. “Our medical officer, chief emissary to the High Council of Ancients: Ratchet.”

Ratchet had been sniffing the air, and I prepared myself for what I knew he would say. “Hm, the boy’s pheromone levels suggests that he wants to mate. Because of the sexual immaturity of the younger female, I must conclude that these instincts are directed at the older female.”

I bit back a giggle as the teenagers looked awkwardly away from each other, though I was not exactly comfortable with Ratchet’s comment either. Then suddenly a beam shot out from Ratchet at us and for an instant the three of us appeared to stand in our underwear. “ _Whoa!_ ” Sam exclaimed.

Immediately I dropped into a defensive crouch, wrapping my arms around my knees and trying to hide as much as I could. When I realized that I wasn’t really naked and that the scan was over, I lifted my head, a bit stunned. **_That_** _didn’t happen in the movie!_

In response to the sudden lack of clothing, Mikaela had instantly spun away, clutching herself. “ _Hey!_ ” she yelled at Ratchet. “Scanning people like that is _not_ cool!”

“Uh, yeah. It’s, uh, not cool at all.” Sam stumbled, seeming discombobulated. My best guess was that he’d seen Mikaela in that brief second. Man, I _could_ wait until I became a teenager.

Surprisingly, Ratchet gave a small bow to Mikaela. “I extend greetings and also apologies for the misunderstanding, immature female.”

I bit my lip as Mikaela went from embarrassed to seething. “ _Hey now-_ ”

“I am pleased to report that, by your species’ customary but inadequate standards, you and your companions are all in an excellent state of health.” Ratchet finished.

Mikaela’s anger ebbed away. “Oh, well, thanks, I guess.”

Sam took a step forward. “Uh, this female’s name is Mikaela Banes.” He said, gesturing to her.

“Understood and logged. Mikaela Banes.” Optimus replied. I did not offer my name and he did not ask for it, but I had the feeling this was more out of respect for my boundaries than lack of caring. “You already know your guardian: Bumblebee.”

Said yellow Camaro was already jabbing the air like a champion boxer, playing tough music to match.

“Bumblebee, right?” Sam asked Optimus Prime, then turned to bouncing ‘Bot.

“Check on the rep, yep, second to none!” Bee’s radio blasted as he looked down at Sam.

It was then that I realized that they were all _showing off._ Every one of them! Well, I didn’t think that Optimus Prime showed off, but the others were certainly enjoying themselves. They knew they were seen as superior beings and they were taking advantage of that _because it was fun._ Sure wasn’t that different from what humans would do.

“You’re my guardian, huh?” Sam asked. He didn’t seem too bothered by having a super-cool-giant-alien-robot-guardian, who nodded to him.

Mikaela turned to Optimus. “If you and the others can talk, why can’t he?”

Ratchet shot a red laser at Bumblebee’s throat, which apparently had some physical effect on them because Bee hunched over and began to cough. “His vocal processors were damaged in the battle of Tyger Pax.” When Ratchet retracted the beam, he tapped something into his arm while Bee straitened and rubbed his throat. “I’m still working on them. There are programmatical complexities involved that you would not understand.”

I looked up at the yellow bot, full of sympathy for him. I knew what it was like to have things to say and not be heard.

Mikaela spoke to Optimus again. “Why are you here?” she asked. “Why come to our world? Surely not just to play at changing back and forth between vehicles and your actual forms.”

“You are quite correct, Mikaela Banes. We are not ‘playing.’ We are here looking for the Allspark. This unimaginably ancient entity is the container of a supreme power that imbues us with the gift of-for you I will simply call it ‘spark.’”

“Another way to explain it,” Ratchet cut in. “Is to say that it is the life force which exists within all Transformers.”

“We are here in search of it.” Optimus continued. “And we must find it before Megatron.”

“Mega-what?” Sam asked.

A thousand insults flowed through my head, some self-created, some fan-created, and some dating all the way back to the G1 series, but all of them started with Mega and ended in something…creative.

Optimus raised one of his huge hands and put his first two fingers up to his right temple. Bright beams of light shot out of his eyes like projectors, and with a pulse of energy they did not just project a simple image; they seemed to change our reality itself. Flashing through the concrete, the ground seemed to crack and fall away in front of us humans into a great canyon glowing with yellow light.

“Our planet was once a powerful empire.” The Prime narrated. From the crack that had split Sam and Mikaela apart a giant, spikey metal structure rose far above our heads. “Peaceful, and just.” More followed in suit, until we were staring at what seemed to be a huge alien battleground. Cybertron.

Just as I remembered, the planet seemed as if it had taken quite a beating. It didn’t look like it could support life, mechanical or otherwise. It reminded me more of computer animated videos of Earth’s first days, when there was little but rock and magma. Only this wasn’t the beginning of the planet; this was its end.

Pain and regret was evident in Optimus’s face was well as his tone, conveying to the teenagers what I already knew: these machines could not only _think_ , they could _feel_. “We were once brothers, Megatron and I,” he said heavily. “In the sense that you understand the term. But Megatron lost his way. It was no longer enough for him to control himself. He became obsessed with the idea of controlling everything. He turned those he could dominate against those he could not. Instead of builders, they became destroyers. For their betrayal of everything that our kind had always stood for, those who turned now bear the name Decepticons.”

As our view panned out, Cybertronian bodies were clearly visible on the branches of the great spikey things. “All who defied them were destroyed. For eons, our world was locked in the stalemate that resulted from Megatron’s actions. Two equal and opposing forces frozen in interminable battle. Our war nearly extinguished our kind and finally consumed the planet. Those few who survived decided the only way to put an end to it was to flee.” A blue explosion burst in the distance, and below a lone Autobot made his way through the ruins.

“Only the Cube can reanimate our world,” Ironhide spoke now. “For it alone is capable of energizing Transformers. That is why Megatron desires it. With it in his possession, he will at last obtain the absolute power he has always sought over the future of our kind.”

Something great and mechanical appeared, throwing a lance that went directly through the Autobot, impaling him to the ground before exploding into a blue exactly like the one seen in the distance. The huge being turned into our view. His mouth was full of sharp teeth, his eyes glowed a malicious red, and his entire demeanor screamed ‘EVIL.’

A great trembling went through my entire body, shaking me from head to toe in less than a second. I had been hit full-blast by the fact that the Decepticons were now real before, but now I was just beginning to remember just _which_ Decepticon was coming. _The Hell Bringer_ , I thought, gulping.

Optimus continued. “In the course of eons of fighting, the Allspark was lost to the stars. I and my companions as well as Megatron and his ilk have been searching for it ever since. We have finally succeeded in tracing its present position to your planet. When it crashed here it transmitted a signal. That signal took a long time to reach the scattered remnants of our pitifully conflicted world. Megatron followed it to Earth, when Captain Witwicky found him.”

My eyes flashed back to Sam as he spoke. “Whoa, heh, my grandfather.”

The amazing image before us faded away and brought us back to reality, leaving the rest of what Optimus was to say to my own memory of the movie. “It was an accident that intertwined our fates. Only by a stroke of great good fortune was his arrival imperfect and on a part of your world suitable for delaying him. Megatron crash landed, succumbing to the ever-shifting ice, before he could retrieve the Cube.”

“ _The ice man,_ ” Sam exclaimed. “Wow, so when my great-great grandpa died screaming in that nuthouse, he was telling the _truth._ ”

“If I follow your inferences correctly,” said Ratchet. “Then yes, that was indeed the case. Unfortunately, your ancestor’s discovery and subsequent physical encounter triggered a tiny part of Megatron’s hitherto dormant internal configuration. Your records indicate that the resultant luminal reaction destroyed your ancestor’s simple organic oculars. But it apparently left a coded physical imprint as well.”

“… What did he just say?” Sam asked what I was wondering.

“He accidently activated Megatron’s navigation system.” Optimus explained. “The coordinates to the Cube’s location on Earth were imprinted on his glasses.”

Sam’s response was immediate. “How’d you know about his glasses?”

Optimus looked down at him and uttered one simple word. “eBay.”

The boy looked at Mikaela incredulously. “eBay.”

“The Cube’s still here on your planet.” Said Jazz. “But we can’t detect its signal. It’s been…blocked by somethin.’”

“Blocked?” Mikaela asked. “By what?”

Ratchet responded, his tone mournful. “We do not know. If we find it we will return it to our home world. But if the Decepticons find the Allspark,” his hand formed into a fist. “They will use its power to transform Earth’s machines and build a new army.”

“Once that is accomplished,” Optimus continued. “There will no longer be any reason or need for your world to continue to provide support and sustenance to carbonoids. Megatron will see to it that these life forms are extinguished.”

“… Excuse me?” Sam asked, not quite comprehending.

“Plants. Animals. You.”

Well. Didn’t that just put a nasty taste in your mouth?

“Sam Witwicky,” Optimus addressed the boy as the rest of the Autobots crowded around. “You hold the key to Earth’s survival.”

With a soft, panicky breath, Mikaela turned to Sam and asked the all-important question. “Please tell me that you have those glasses.”

 _Now!_ My thoughts screamed in my head. _It has to be **now!**_

“Excuse me,” I said loudly, before I lost my nerve. After checking my volume, I continued uncertainly, “O-Optimus Prime, sir, I have something to say.”

As all eyes turned on me, human and otherwise, I suddenly wished that I could disappear. “Then do not be afraid to speak, young one.” Optimus replied. His tone was reassuring, yet I could still hear my heart hammering away in my ears.

I realized that now it was too late to turn back, so I stepped forward, trying desperately to keep both my body and my words from shaking. I executing a bow, as I had read must be done in the presence of a Prime. _Well, here we go._

“My name is Iris.” I began once I had straightened up. “And, like you, I am not from this world, but in a different way. While you are not from this planet, I am not from this…dimension.” I forced myself to look up at the Autobots, for my shyness kept pushing my gaze downwards. “In my world, the Transformers are not real; they are pretend. They started in the 80’s as a cartoon, which became hugely popular. It came out in comics, shows, movies and books, until this year they made a live-action movie. All this,” I held out my arms, directing to everything around me. “All of you, are from that movie. I have watched this movie many times and I know it by heart, from beginning,” Knowing that this would be the kicker, I locked eyes with Optimus. “To end. I know about everything that will happen in the next few days.

“And I can prove it!” I added before anyone had a chance to interject. “First of all, Mikaela, can I see your purse please?”

She looked at me with a ‘What could you possibly want with my purse’-face, but complied. Trying to respect Mikaela’s privacy, I made an attempt to not look to closely at the contents as I rummaged through them. Finding what I was looking for, I held up Mikaela’s phone. “This,” I said. “Is a stowaway.” I tossed the phone into the hand of the nearest Autobot, Jazz, and waited.

Before anyone could do anything to figure out what I was talking about, the phone suddenly sprang to life. Out of it snapped a small, silver head with many insect-like legs. The thing screamed in Cybertronian and flung itself around, trying to escape.

“Whoa!” Jazz exclaimed as he tried to grab the little abomination. “Is that Frenzy?!”

“What’s left of him.” I replied, remembering in the movie when Frenzy had grown legs, crawled away and turned himself into a replica of Mikaela’s phone. “Mikaela chopped up the rest of his body.”

When Jazz finally caught Frenzy’s head, he pinched it between his thumb and a finger. “I’ve got a bone to pick wi’choo.” He told it, pointing at it with his other hand threateningly.

“Jazz, secure the spy until we are able to question him.” Optimus ordered.

“With pleasure!” Jazz replied as he stuffed the little head, still screaming, into a cavity in his body, almost like a pocket. “Nice job, ‘Kaela,” he said to the teen before turning back to me. “You were sayin,’ little lady?”

Shoving away my bashfulness at the name, I continued, “This isn’t the first time you’ve come into contact with humans.” Looking down for a second, I swallowed. _Please God, let this work._ When I lifted my head, I asked one single question: “Do you remember the _Ghost One_?”

Their reactions, a mixture of surprise, sorrow, amazement, regret, and more, let me know that they did. “A while ago,” I started to tell the Autobots what they already knew. “Before I or Sam or Mikaela were born, humans sent a rocket ship into outer space. It was called the _Ghost One_ and Samuel Walker was captain.”

This information was something that would be extremely difficult to obtain for humans, but the records _were_ there somewhere and it was not entirely impossible that I could have gotten ahold of those. However, what I was about to say was most definitely off-record.

“They were accidently sucked through wormhole and ended up deep in space, where you and the Decepticons found them. Starscream tricked them into thinking that he was good and you were evil; he even got them to shoot at you when Optimus and Bumblebee were stuck underground on that planet with,” Here my face wrinkled in disgust. “Those giant worms. But when he left them to die, they figured out that the _Autobots_ were the good ones. You told them that you’d try to get them home, then you got stuck fighting the Decepticons. You, sir,” I told Optimus. “Were fighting Starscream, and it wasn’t looking good.”

I took another deep breath. “The humans knew that if they got in the way they would never get home again, but you were in trouble, and they decided to help you instead. You told them to stay back so they wouldn’t get hurt, but they didn’t listen.” I looked directly at Optimus. “They saved your life, sir. When they finally shot Starscream with something big enough, it actually hurt him. And then,” I swallowed again, trying desperately to keep my voice from quivering from fear and sadness. “He killed them.”

Silence reigned supreme as every one of the Autobots stared at me for a long, long time. I stood there, frozen in their gazes. Had I gone too far? What if they were angry at me for bringing it up? I could do nothing but await their verdict, like the accused in front of the jury.

Finally, someone spoke. It was Jazz. He turned to Optimus, slowly, and asked, “How can she…a human…know about that?”

Optimus gazed down at me with those ancient eyes of his. “She can’t.”

Bumblebee looked down at me. He was shocked like the others, but he also seemed somewhat…pleased. “Wow,” he said. “ _I knew you know a lot_ _—_ but _\--_ I _didn't know you know so much_!”

“Bumblebee, how did you come across this human?” Ratchet asked.

“I was driving along, minding my own business, when—someone’s calling my name--She ran up to me and said—I have information that you want—This Barricade is a piece of—He saw me--So I said--come along for the ride!”

“Barricade saw me with this,” I clarified, holding out my necklace. “So I found Bumblebee. I told him where Sam and his dad would be shopping for a car, he took me along, and I’ve been hiding in him ever since.”

All the Autobots leaned in to look at their symbol around my neck. It seemed to freak them out, though I can’t blame them; I’d be quite surprised to see a little alien with my army’s symbol on it.

“… Could this be some Decepticon trick?” Ironhide asked. “Working with them, sent to give us false information?”

That actually made a lot of sense. The Decepticons had been there for the whole ordeal; Starscream had even hacked the ship’s systems, so they would have known everything about it. Not to mention that they also knew the Autobot insignia. They could have implanted me with all that knowledge and then slapped an Autobot symbol on me, simple as that.

“I don’t think so, Tim.” Bumblebee’s shoulders went down a bit as he explained. “She was grabbed—Barricade--tried to take her—I got there just in time—If they are in cahoots—then why take her—and why would she—give up their location?” He gestured at Jazz, referring to his prisoner.

Ironhide still eyed me suspiciously, but he seemed to accept these points and did not speak again.

“Wow,” I turned to Sam when he spoke. If he and Mikaela hadn’t believed me before, they sure did now. And even if they had, I don’t think they could’ve guessed the extent of my knowledge. “I never would have thought… Well, I guess then you were telling the truth, huh?”

I nodded.

At the sound of more shifting metal, I pivoted back to see Optimus descending to one knee, bringing himself very close to me. He studied me for a moment with those wise eyes of his. “Iris,” he said. I thought I was going to collapse. “If what you say is true, and you know the outcome of our quest for the Allspark, would you be willing to assist us?”

I answered without hesitation. “Yes, sir. I want to help. I know I can’t do much, but I’ll do what I can.”

“Then she can tell us where the Cube is now!” Jazz exclaimed, startling me. “Why go get the boy’s glasses if we have a kid who can _tell_ us where the Allspark is?”

This was exactly what I had been afraid of. If I revealed too much, would something go wrong? Would the Autobots… Dare I say it, loose? I didn’t even want to think about that very real possibility.

 _Please,_ I pleaded to the Prime mentally, my fear probably leaking onto my face. _Tell me what to do._

Optimus was silent for a moment as he thought everything over. Finally, he said, “We will remain on our previous course and retrieve Samuel’s glasses.”

“What? But Prime, we’ve got all the information we need right _here!_ ” Jazz protested, gesturing down at me with both hands.

“Matters of the future can be difficult, Jazz,” Optimus replied. “If we do not handle such information carefully, the result could be catastrophic.” He turned back to me and asked, “Will you accompany me to the Witwicky residence? I feel that you and I have much to discuss.”

… I could ride with him? Optimus Prime himself, one of the greatest and most powerful heroes of all time, someone I had looked up to even before he was real, wanted me to ride with him. Me. Small, insignificant me. I was going to ride in Optimus Prime, should I choose to do so.

But did I dare?

Shoving my excitement down with another thick swallow, I tilted my head upwards to look my hero in the face and answered.

“It’d be an honor, sir.”


	8. Chapter 8

**_UBER LONG DISCLAIMER! Transformers belongs to Hasbro, Transformers the novel belongs to Alan Dean Foster, and Transformers the 2007 movie belongs to Michael Bay._ **

**_Is that it? Did I get everybody? Good._ **

**_Oh and Iris is mine!_ **

**_Also UBER LONG CHAPTER sorry but I figured the first part was too short to post so I just made it into one big long hullabaloo!_ **

* * *

 

Have you ever been close to something powerful? Not just moderately so, but something _really_ powerful. Have you felt it around you; above, below, encircling you? A power you can see, hear, _feel_. The best analogy I can think of is surfing through the tube of a title wave. All that immensity, all that raw potential for destruction surging around you. Yet you remain unharmed. Pure might surrounds you in every direction, but you, in the dead center of it all, are totally and utterly safe.

That’s what I felt when I rode in Optimus Prime.

I sat up strait on the red leather seats. My legs were crossed Indian-style to keep them away from the ever-moving pedals, not that I could’ve reached them anyway. I was trying to minimize my amount of contact with the Prime. I had an immense respect for him, and chances are the feeling of a little creature crawling around inside of you was pretty weird.

A flush of embarrassment warmed my face as I remembered how much trouble I’d had getting in.

_The step up to the front seat was large for an adult; for me it was near impossible. Walking up to the open door, I knew that getting in would be a challenge, and I was determined to perform it gracefully._

_But of course the universe just wouldn’t have it my way. On my first attempt of the long step upwards, I slipped and fell, landing on my butt with a yelp._

_I heard laughter. Some of it was warm and natural, but one came from a strained, mechanical voice. Tipping my head all the way back, I saw a familiar black and yellow form standing over me. Those sounds came from him as he looked down at me with smiling eyes and shaking shoulders._

_“ ’Ts not funny!” I squeaked indignantly, blushing as I fought back my own laughter._

_Bumblebee just laughed again as he leaned forward, his fingers outstretched towards me. As they came closer, I felt them pinch the hood of my yellow sweatshirt before gently lifting me off the ground. Though being dangled in the air made me want to struggle and flail, my embarrassment at having to be helped like a baby kept me from moving. I behaved and held still as I was carried through Prime’s open door and gently plopped down into the driver’s seat. My face hot, I glanced back out the door at my helper. “Thanks,” I mumbled._

_The ‘Bot who had protected me since I’d entered this world gave me a genuine smile. “See you later?” his radio asked as he reached back in and gave me a gentle nudge of encouragement._

_Giving in to a small smile, I nodded. My door closed, Bumblebee transformed, Sam and Mikaela hopped back inside him and we were off._

“You do not appear to be at ease.” Optimus’s voice rumbled, startling me back into reality. “You need not fear. I have no intentions of harming you.”

Taking a deep breath, I answered, “I know. I’m just…nervous, I guess. It’s… It’s an awfully big honor to meet you, sir. I’ve always wanted to, but in my world you weren’t real, so…” I fiddled with the straps of my tote bag, winding and unwinding them tightly around my hands.

“Then I imagine this is a moment of great excitement for you, isn’t it?”

“Yessir.”

“You seem very polite for one so young.” Optimus commented. “The term of respect is greatly appreciated. However, I do not believe it is necessary. While you are but an acquaintance to my Autobots and I, you seem to have known us a long time. The title ‘sir’ is not used when referring to one with familiarity, am I correct?”

“Yessir.”

“Then I see no reason for someone who knows us so well to speak with such unfamiliarity.”

“Yessss-… Okay.” In all actuality, it was very strange for me to call someone ‘sir.’ It takes me a while to respect people of authority, and even to those who I do respect, it just never comes to mind to call them ‘sir.’ However, what I had for Optimus was somehow above my normal level of respect, so I had made a conscious effort to use the word. Now that I had permission to cease, I felt a bit relieved that I had one less thing to keep track of.

“About such knowledge…” Optimus paused, as if this was a touchy subject. Which was entirely accurate.

“… Do you want me to tell you what happens?” I asked finally.

“Would you be willing to?”

“Well,” I bit back another ‘sir’ as I thought, despite myself. “I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know what to say. I really don’t wanna screw anything up. I don’t want you guys to lose, and…” I swallowed, trying to combat my constricting throat. “I don’t want anyone to die. If I tell you everything, something might go wrong, but if you want me to… I will.”

“… You trust me with knowledge of my own future?”

“I dunno, I just…trust _you_.”

There was a long silence after that. He was thinking, I was thinking. Well, I was at first. I got distracted by the interior. It was very nice; very…shiny. In the center of the steering wheel sat an equally shiny, silver Autobot insignia. The dash was covered in a tantalizing array of dials, knobs and switches, and it was all I could do to keep from messing with them. Wood seemed to be a predominant theme; it was on the floor, the dash, the knobs, and encircling the steering wheel. As part of the custom job, there were flames everywhere, and I mean _everywhere._ On the door, on the pedals, on the spokes of the steering wheel, the dash, the stick shift, all over the place! And it was _so cool!_

_Stupid cars,_ a pouting thought entered my mind. _Stupid Autobots and their alt-modes of nice, shiny cars with big, rumbly engines, and their super-speed, and all their buttons and switches and their, their… awesomeness._

“I would appreciate the ability to inquire, but I will not force you to reveal anything.” Optimus said after a while. “If you believe there is any chance of our knowledge of an event changing it for the worse, you are not obliged to voice it.”

I nodded. “Okay. Well, ask away then, I guess.”

“First and foremost: Casualties?”

With a heavy heart, I replied, “Yes.”

“Autobot?”

“Yes.”

“… Is it for a sufficient sacrifice?”

“No!” I exclaimed, certain for the first time that night. “That’s why we have to stop it! He can’t-” I swallowed through a tight throat. “He doesn’t have to die.”

“Will this event happen soon?”

I shook my head. “No, I’ll have time to warn you.”

“Good. Human casualties?”

“Well,” I paused, looking out the window. “Not here, far away. And if I remember right, it’s already happened.” I sent out a quick prayer for the soldiers. “And later, but nobody who’s-” I caught myself. How _dare_ I call them unimportant. Back in my own world they were just characters, extra actors running around pretending to be scared. Just a face in the crowd. When the camera panned away, that was the end of their existence. But here… _Here_ they were real, living people, with lives, homes, families and friends. All of their lives were precious, and they didn’t deserve to die at the hands of evil alien robots.

“-a main character.”

“So Samuel Witwicky and Mikaela Banes will be safe?”

“Safe?” I repeated, restraining a snort. “They’re not _safe_ … but they will be, if everything stays the same.”

“Alright. I have another question.”

I steeled myself for a potentially difficult inquiry.

“Are the Autobots successful in obtaining the Allspark?”

“… Yes.”

“And do we return it to our planet?”

“… No.”

“We are unable to restore our home world?”

My head bowed, my entire being portraying my deepest regrets. “I’m sorry.”

More silence.

Then suddenly, a horrible, terrible, _evil_ thought entered my head. _What if they won’t go for the Allspark now?_

“But you have to keep going for it Optimus!” I exclaimed, scared out of my mind of what I had just done. “You have to! If you don’t, the Decepticons might get it the glasses and they’d get the Allspark, and then we’d all be…” I trailed off, my posture melting into a pitiful hunch, hiding my face in my hands with despair. What…had I done? Had I just ruined everything? _Oh no…oh no…_

I whispered the last word, feeling wetness in my hands. “Scrapped.”

Infinite silence.

… “I have had sufficient time to ponder all possible ramifications of a multiplicity of actions,” Optimus spoke after a long time. “And what I have decided is this:”

I lifted my head a bit, listening intently to every word.

“If we return the Cube to Cybertron, our war will continue. I postulate eventual victory, but not for a minimum of another thousand years. We have been fighting so long, I can remember nothing else.” A pause. “The opportunity to live, to exist in a state of being other than perpetual combat, lies here, on this world. The madness ends now.”

I sat up a bit straighter, not completely sure of what I’d heard. “So…” I began quietly. “You know what needs to be done?”

“Affirmative.”

“And…” I paused again, somewhat incredulous. “You’ll _still_ help us?”

“I will _not_ allow the humans to become a casualty of our war.” The Prime stated firmly. “That is not our way. If we have battled so long for naught else, we have fought for that much. It is an immediately achievable goal. To fight to preserve life, however different it may be from our own,” He hesitated, and had every right to. “That is a belief worth dying for.”

I did not move for a moment; I just sat there, letting every word sink in. Slowly, slowly I uncurled. My hands fell away from my face. I straightened up and fell, slowly, backwards into the seat. I allowed myself to lean against the seat of Optimus Prime, tilting back my head until it too touched the seat. I let myself relax in the warm, vibrating leather, and closed my eyes. I hadn’t blown it. Not yet. Optimus would still protect us, even if he knew it was a lost cause and his planet could not be saved. Somewhere deep inside where I knew his character inside and out, I was not surprised. Somewhere I had always known that he would protect us, but on the outside all I could feel was grateful.

“Thank you.”

*

As we rolled down Sam’s street, I noticed that Optimus’s engine got quieter. It was like he was trying to muffle the noise of his immense engine. The other Autobots were probably following in suit. While that was well and good and all, I was still surprised that our brigade of fancy machines didn’t attract more attention.

Bumblebee lead the way up an alley one house away from Sam’s, Optimus behind him and the rest of the Autobots behind us. As soon as the teenagers had gotten out, Sam started babbling at Mikaela. It was all the girl could do to get in a reassuring word between his nervous, stuttering way of talking.

“I need you to stay here, alright? You gotta stay here and you gotta watch ‘um.”

“Okay.”

“All of them. You hear what I’m saying?”

“Yeah, okay, okay.”

“Five minutes, alright?”

_Good luck, Sammy boy,_ I thought was I carefully hopped out of Optimus. The descent was much easier than the mount had been. _I give them five **seconds**._

Sam turned to the Autobots. “Stay. Stay _here_. Stay.” He told them before sprinting away.

I was slightly taken aback; exactly fifteen seconds passed before Optimus began transforming.

“What’re you _doing?!_ ” Mikaela whisper-yelled at him. “He told you to stay _here!_ You can’t wait five minutes?!”

“It is imperative that we obtain the glasses.” Optimus told her before stepping over the fence into the neighbor’s yard.

As he did so, I began to feel a rumble of laughter starting in the pit of my stomach. It pushed outward, wanting to escape. I forced it down, but doing so resulted in giving me an almost giddy mindset. I _loved_ this scene.

“Let’s not go through the neighbor’s yard,” I told Bumblebee after he’d finished his transformation. When he looked down at me, I broke out into what I’m sure looked like a silly grin. “C’mon,” I motioned back down the alley. “Let’s go around.”

As silently as possible, Bumblebee followed me back to the street. We looked around, Mission Impossible style, before quickly running around the neighbor’s house into the Witwicky’s driveway. Just as Optimus stepped over the fence into the Witwicky’s yard, using the roof of the neighbor’s house for balance, Bee and I crept around the corner of the house to peer at a scrambling-to-keep-his-dad-inside Sam.

The look of surprised horror on Sam’s face when he turned and saw us was amazing. I spun back around the corner, covering my nose and mouth to keep my laughter internalized. Bumblebee immediately knew that Sam would be in trouble if his parents saw the Autobots, and conveyed this understanding by holding a finger up to his face and making _shh_ -ing noises. This action was directed at me when a small noise escaped my hands.

Regaining a bit more stability, I peeked back around the corner to watch Sam continue to scramble.

“Um, uh… I love you.”

I looked at Bumblebee and he looked at me, and we seemingly shared a thought: _Really?_

“Gawd I love you, so much right now.”

Bee turned from the conversation to make throat-cutting actions as the other Autobots, then he tried to wave them away, and then his hand turned upwards in an exasperated gesture that just read _why?_

“Alright I love you. Sleep good, handsome man.” I knew my cue and took it, coming out from around the corner as Bumblebee stood to his feet. The other ‘Bots had just started to follow Optimus’s path through the neighbor’s yard, their leader already walking around in the Witwicky’s. In this scene I had always felt embarrassment for Sam as he yelled at the ‘Bots, something I could never do, but all I did now was try to keep myself from laughing.

“What’re you doin’? What’re you doin’? No watch the path! Watch the path! Watch the-!” Sam’s voice pitch increased to a frantic high as he ran around, simultaneously trying to avoid the large feet and tell them to _stop moving!_ “Please please please! No no wait! NO NO NO!” His whisper-yell turned to a full one as Optimus’s touched the fountain at the center of the Witwicky yard, crushing it to water and rubble in milliseconds. “Oh _no!”_

Having lifted his foot before it had even met the ground, Optimus apologized immediately, which was so out of place for that superior voice of his. “Oops. Sorry, my bad.”

“Oh I gah augh!-” Sam was literally too furious, too frantic for words. “You cou!-You couldn’t wait for five!-You couldn’t wait for five minutes I told you j-j-j-just stay! Just stay! Gawd!”

At that moment a little brown animal came limp-running out of the house, making sort of a growling/yelping noise.

“Mojo!” I exclaimed. Small dogs weren’t my favorite, but hey a puppy is a puppy. I ran after him, arms outstretched. “Mojo! Come here boy! Come here-No, no, come _here!_ ” I picked up the pace as Mojo began running around Ironhide’s feet, barking incessantly and leaping up to try and bite the ‘Bots ankle. Ironhide was getting thoroughly annoyed with the dog, so I decided to go in and try to keep the peace. “Hang on!” I told him before chasing the puppy, which meant now I also was running around the huge feet. “I got him! I got him! I-don’t got him.”

The weapons specialist tracked the little pest carefully, making sure his timing was exactly right before flicking Mojo with a toe-like protrusion, sending him into the flowers.

“Whoa!” I exclaimed, skidding to a halt so I didn’t slam into the giant foot, but before I could say anything else that same airborne canine came charging out of the bushes to resume his attack.

Sam started to run over, yelling, “Whoa whoa whoa that’s my dog! Mojo off! Off the robot!” but then got distracted as Mikaela came through the gate. “I told you to watch ‘em!”

But she was having none of that. Placing her hands on her hips, she replied, “Well I think they’re kindof in a _rush_.”

“Well you shoulda _done_ something!”

“Right. Give me a minute to find their on/off switches.”

Her comment was enough to sufficiently distract me from what I should have been paying attention to. Having paused my pursuit of the dog long enough to laugh, Mojo took that insightful moment to _pee_ on the _giant robot’s_ **_foot_**. Said giant robot jerked his foot away and shook it in disgust. He grunted and again flicked the dog, who yelped upon impact but was unharmed. “Augh, oh wet.”

“Wait nunononono easy easy hold on hold!” Sam came running in, scooping up Mojo as the great metal foot shook dangerously close to the tiny animal. “This is Mojo! This is Mojo! He’s a pet of mine!”

Ironhide grunted again and activated his left cannon, pointing it at Mojo, and by relation of proximity, Sam.

“He’s a pet, okay? That’s all. If you could put the guns away-Put the-Put them away please.”

“You have a rodent infestation.” Ironhide told Sam, both his cannons online and spinning now.

“A what?”

“Shall I terminate?”

“No no no no no he’s not a rodent he’s a Chihuahua! This is my-This is my Chihuahua! We-we love Chihuahuas don’t we?” Sam turned to Mikaela for help.

“He’s leaked lubricants all over my foot!” Ironhide stated, grunting again angrily.

“He-He-He peed on you?” Sam asked. “Bad Mojo. Bad Mojo!” He told the dog, holding him out towards the offended Autobot.

“Bad Mojo!” Ironhide repeated, which just about sent me into hysterics.

“I’m sorry he’s got this male dominance thing. That’s all it is.”

Finally, Ironhide put his guns away with another annoyed grunt and walked away. “Foot’s gonna rust.”

I’d always tried to feel sorry for Ironhide at this point in the movie, I had honestly tried. Rusting could not be a fun process, especially if you were _made_ of metal. Yet the closest thing to a sympathetic thought in my head was: _Oh, take it like a mech!_

Sam, still carrying Mojo, was thoroughly exasperated as he danced in and out of huge Autobot feet, who in turn danced to not step on him, to get to his house. “Sh sh sh! Shut up and go hide!” He hissed at them.

“Just hurry.” Optimus replied as Sam darted inside, but instead of hiding, he said, “Autobots, recon.”

_Well apparently that doesn’t mean to hide!_ I thought, running up beside Bumblebee as he ducked, pulling down the doors that sat like wings on his back and crawling under the deck to look into the family room. He was _trying_ to be discrete, hiding the majority of his bulk behind the windowless portion of the wall and peeking in at the Witwickys from the corner, but if they glanced upwards _once,_ just **_once_** …

It was strange, seeing them in person. On screen Ron and Judy had always seemed like a nice couple, two people who didn’t deserve the crummy treatment they were about to get. So happy, so blissfully ignorant, so normal…

I didn’t stay to watch them for long. I backed away from the window, careful to move out of its field of vision. But what I did not remember was that there was one small step down from the patio to the yard. My backwards-stepping foot had to drop suddenly to find level ground, shifting my weight distribution so suddenly that I could not regain my balance and landed flat-backed on the lawn. “Oof!”

My sudden movement attracted the attention of Optimus. He had been intently observing Sam and he struggled around his room and was becoming increasingly worried. When he looked down at me, I got the feeling that he was considering asking me to speed things up a bit. While I knew exactly where the glasses were, I couldn’t be sure that _now_ was the best time to get them. Timing and circumstance were everything. If the Autobots got the glasses early and made it to their location too quickly, there’s no telling what they’d have to resort to to retrieve the Allspark, for the humans surely would not hand it over. And what would become of Sam and Mikaela if the bad humans came _after_ the Autobots had left? Oh, and the soldiers were an important part of the convincing factor too, and they weren’t here yet.

Before Optimus could ask anything of me, I stood and ran up to someone who _could_ help in a safe way. “Hey Mikaela,” I said, slinging my bag off my shoulder. “Could you go help Sam look for the glasses?”

Mikaela looked at me in surprise. “Wait, why me?” she asked, subtly implying what I’d just been thinking.

“I can’t help without screwing things up,” I replied as I proceeded to take off my hoodie, my hat, and my earrings to put them all in my tote bag. “And these guys are too big. It’s better that you look.”

The teen considered this for a moment, watching my actions, before asking, “Okay, but how would I get up there without Sam’s parents seeing?”

Tilting my head back to look at Optimus, who had been surveying our exchange, I said, “I believe _he_ can help with that.”

At first Mikaela seemed frightened by the suggestion, but slowly she accepted it and nodded to the largest of the bots. When he came forward, knelt down and offered his hand, Mikaela hesitated for a moment. Then, cautiously, she stepped up and sat down on the huge metal palm, looking as uncomfortable as could be.

“Oh, and take this,” I added, tossing her my tote bag.

Even as she caught it, more confusion crossed Mikaela’s face. “Why?”

“I’ve got lots to do, and I’m afraid I’ll lose it.” I explained. “Just tuck it somewhere safe in Sam’s room for now.”

Mikaela nodded before being lifted right up to Sam’s window.

“Time is short.” Optimus informed the boy inside, who was sufficiently startled to see the girl of his dreams offered up to his room like a present.

“They really want those glasses,” I heard Mikaela add shakily before Sam pulled her inside.

As soon as Mikaela was off his hand, Optimus ducked- _My gosh, he has to duck to see into the top floor of a large house!_ -so that he was once again looking through the window. “Please hurry.” He implored them anxiously.

When the metal giant moved away, I positioned myself under Sam’s window and tried to keep up with what was going on in there. The teenager’s voices were hard to hear from the distance, but I had nothing better to do, so I listened.

“Okay, no no no it’s definitely gone.”

“Wha’do you mean?”

“The glasses were in the bag, they were in the backpack, and now the backpack isn’t here.”

“Okay, I understand. Dibs on not telling the giant alien robots.”

“It’s got to be here _somewhere._ I think what you should do is you should check this whole-”

“Alright.”

“Just this section here, just give it a clean sweep and I’ll, I’ll get the corner here-Yeah n-no no but not, not there that’s my, that’s my private-Sorry-”

“You told me to look-”

“Well I didn’t mean to look inside my treasure chest.”

“You should be way more specific so I don’t get in trouble in your room or anything, I’m already stressed out enough.”

I turned to the Autobots surrounding the house. “Mebbe you guys should tone it down a bit,” I said as nicely as I could. “You know, keep a low profile. Blend in.”

Apparently their definition of blending in and mine were a bit different, as every one of the Autobots began to transform.

“No no wait!” I protested, running among the shifting forms. “I mean fall back! That’s not gonna work! You’re not-Oh gosh.” I sighed, shoving my fingers through my hair as I walked among the five vehicles.

At the hiss of Optimus’s air breaks, Sam came to his window. “What now? … No, no no, no no no. What are they doing?” he asked me.

I threw my arms skyward in a gesture of exasperation.

“This isn’t hiding!” Sam said, whether to himself or the Autobots I’m not sure. “This isn’t hiding-this is my back yard not a truck stop.” He turned form his window, hands behind his head in worried frustration. “Oh gawd, oh!”

Figuring that if transforming wasn’t hiding then what was the point, the Autobots returned to their bipedal forms. I scrambled around, avoiding giant feet as the Autobots crowded around the windows of Sam’s room. The sight of all of them trying to get a good view was amusing, but it thoroughly blocked my own view, so with a soft groan of annoyance I joined them. Weaving around the tall legs with the upmost care, I wormed my way to the front, which was much easier than it would have been in a crowd of humans. Once at the house, I was careful to stay to the side of Judy’s garden as I pressed myself against the wall below Sam’s window, and I listened to the Autobots’ conversations with the teenagers.

“Have you found them?” Optimus asked, his voice soft, for him, yet still powerful enough to resound through the house.

“ _Ssssh!_ ” Sam hissed back. “ _No,_ I haven’t. I dunno where my backpack is.”

“Did you look within the oblong clothing-storage device?” Optimus asked.

A pause. “The what?”

“I think he means the dresser.” Mikaela suggested.

“Perhaps it is beneath the four-point floor sheath.” Said Ratchet.

“Okay, totally stumped.”

“The rug?”

I ducked my head and giggled. _How_ much data had the Autobots absorbed on the English language and our world, yet they still could not name common household items.

Sam, however, was not so amused. “No, it’s not _in_ or _under_ any of those things. It’s in a _backpack._ My backpack, the same one I take to school with me every day. The backpack is definitely _not here._ ”

Optimus stepped closer to the house. “There can be no ‘definite’ in this matter.” He said, causing me to clock my head against the side of the house at his hopeless persistence. “You must continue searching.”

“Hey, my mom’s flowers!” Sam leaped forward and waved the giant robot away. “Watch it!”

The Prime stepped back to reveal what was left of Judy’s garden. It did not look pretty anymore. “Oops.”

The boy panicked at what he saw. “Whadid you-Oh no no no, my mom’s flowers!”

“I am sorry. The brightly colored weeds will be replaced. But we _must_ have the glasses.”

A soft sigh escaped me. _Talk about a one-track mind._ Then I smiled. _Heehee, brightly colored weeds._

Sam shoved that worry away, to be addressed at a later time. He leaned out the window, struggling to stay calm, pressed his hands together and said, “Okay listen. You gotta listen to me. My mom’s gonna come out here and she’s gonna freak out. My mom has a temper, okay?”

Optimus sighed. “We must have the glasses.”

“I know you need the glasses. I’ve been looking everywhere-they’re not here. They’re definitely not here.”

Then began the expressions of emotion that I had always found fascinating. 100% mechanical, giant aliens from a world so different to our own, yet their expressions of emotion were nearly identical to ours.

Optimus sighed again and pressed his right hand to his face as Sam babbled, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. He groaned, pulled his hand away and said urgently, “Keep searching.”

“I need you to be quiet for five minutes.” Sam told him. “Ten minutes, okay? Please.”

The Prime turned his head to the left, squeezed his eyes shut and tightened the hand he was bracing against the house into a fist. His metal face scrunched into a grimace, round plates where his ears would be twisted and the sound of hissing steam was heard. All clear signs of frustration.

“I’m begging you, you gotta-” Sam struggled as Optimus turned back to him. “You’re making a racket. I can’t-I can’t concentrate. You want me to look-”

“Calm down calm down.” Optimus summed up what Sam meant, moving his left hand in downward motions.

Running out of words to say, Sam repeated himself, “You gotta do somethin’, you gotta do somethin’.”

Optimus turned from the window. “Autobots, fall back and cloak.” He said before rising to his full height.

“Please, for five minutes.” Sam continued to plead as the Autobots began walking away. “Good, good? Okay.”

I ran to keep up with their long strides, dodging in and out of hasty feet. I wasn’t being paid much attention to, which didn’t bode well for the Autobots watching where they stepped. I didn’t mind though. I mean hey, I hadn’t been stepped on yet!

“Move!” I leapt sideways to avoid Ironhide’s giant feet as he ordered Ratchet, then I leapt the other way to evade Ratchet who replied with a shove. “Get away!”

“What’s the matter with you?” Optimus vented at his soldiers as he followed Bumblebee away from the Witwicky house. “Can’t you be quiet? He wants us to be quiet!”

With the best comedic timing in the world, Ratchet turned around and ran _right into_ the power lines. “Ow!” he yelled, sparks flying and his sirens whirring to life as he spun away. Stepping over the hedge that separated the Witwickys from their neighbors, Ratchet trudged through the green house and disappeared from view when he hit the ground.

The impact was enough to shake me off my feet, but even if it hadn’t been I still would’ve fallen. Laughter exploded from me so suddenly that if I hadn’t already been on the ground my legs would’ve buckled beneath me. As it was, I sat in the grass consumed in my amusement. Loud, strong laughter flowed freely all the way down from my gut and out into the night air.

For several seconds it rang noisily before I was able to wrap my arm around my face as a muffler. Pressing my mouth into the crook of my elbow, I forced myself to quiet down before I got to my feet and ran over to see if Ratchet was alright. Chocking on my attempts to swallow my laughter, I pushed through the hedge to see Ratchet on the ground. He was still sparking and twitching a little, but he looked alright.

“Wow that was tingly!” Ratchet said as he propped himself up, his voice unusually excited. With a grunt he tried to rise, and failed. “You gotta try that!” he told Ironhide.

“Yeah, that looks fun.” The weapons specialist replied sarcastically, turning away just before all the lights on the block went out.

Laughing again at the exchange, I struggled to keep myself upright. I plastered my hands to my face, but that did next to nothing. Gasping for air through them made me dizzy, which in turn made me giddy and just made me laugh more.

Bumblebee backtracked towards the fallen medic, but stopped when he saw me struggling. “What’s up with you?” he asked.

“He!-He just!-Did you see?-Now I can’t!-I can’t!-I can’t stop!” My words came in sharp, muffled bursts through my fingers. Once again my legs failed me, and soon I was down on the ground again, laughing away. “I-I can’t breathe!”

Probably not the best thing to say at the moment. Mostly because this alarmed Bumblebee, who called Ratchet over. Then the other ‘Bots came too. Apparently I was quite the distraction.

At the center of attention was the last place I wanted to be, and my natural shyness immediately began to sober me. However, once I caught sight of Ratchet’s…delayed progress, the laughter came bubbling up again. I wrapped my arm around my face, stuffing my elbow crook.

“Well well well, what do we have here?” the medic asked as he stumbled over, his unusually peppy tone causing my laughter to become an embarrassingly high squeak as I struggled on the ground. Ratchet scanned me; thankfully he must have heeded us humans’ embarrassment from before, for now the beam of light did not leave me in my unmentionables. “Our little friend here seems to be suffering from a bout of euphoria. Exhaustion in humans releases dopamine into their brains, creating a delirious state, which can cause them to overreact to humorous situations. It can also be caused by lack of oxygen-” Ratchet reached down and pulled my arm away from my face with his fingers, but once I heard how loud my laughter was I quickly replaced it. “Stop it!” he told me. “You’ll only make it worse!”

“S-sorry!” I gasped as I sat up, desperately trying to keep my giggles down. “I’m t-trying to stop!”

Ratchet sighed and straightened up, as much as he could, still buzzed in his mannerisms. “What I can’t figure out is what’s so funny.”

My eyes crossed as more laughter threatened to spill forth. “G-go!” I wheezed out, waving the Autobots away with my free arm. “Go help Sam!”

“Yo lil’ girlie, are ya gon’ be alright?” Jazz asked, which just caused me to laugh more. Even his excessive gangster-talk was funny to me now.

Ironhide grumbled. “This is getting us nowhere.” He said, and was quite right. I was just a distraction, a loud hindrance with too much knowledge. A liability. That’s what I was.

I knew I had to take drastic measures, so I removed my arm, stuffed my fist into my mouth, and bit down hard. “Ha! Ahaha! Ha! How! Ow! Owow!”

“What’re you doing?!” Bumblebee rushed over to me frantically, his alarm echoing that of the other Autobots. “Don’t hurt yourself!”

I removed my hand from my mouth and rubbed the teeth marks on my skin with my other hand’s fingers, trying to do so discreetly. “It worked, didn’t it?”

Bee’s eyes widened. “Yeah, but-”

“Go help Sam you guys!” I told them. “Humans can’t see in the dark.” Ignoring whatever expressions were on the ‘Bots faces as they looked at me, I got up from the ground and lead the way back to the Witwicky residence myself, covertly massaging my offended appendage. Hey that almost rhymed!

When we got back to Sam’s room, I could hear groaning. It sounded he and Mikaela were picking themselves off the floor. My best guess was that they’d smacked into each other dead-on in the dark, down they’d gone in a heap, and were just now able to get themselves together. From the disgusted noises Mikaela was making, I deduced that the collision had landed Sam in a spot he found favorable and that she did not. I bet she was just about to tell him off when Ratchet turned on a blindingly bright light and shined it, somewhat shakily, at Sam’s room.

Then Ron and Judys’ voices drifted out, presumably from behind Sam’s door, accompanied with knocking. “Sam?--That’s weird. Sam?”

“Ratchet, point the light.” Optimus told the tipsy medic, who steadied himself enough to direct his light strait through the window, flooding Sam’s room even more.

“Come on! Hurry!” Ironhide urged from outside Sam’s window.

“Listen, we’ve got a major issue here.” Said boy appeared in said window and leaned out to look at Ratchet. “What's with the light? You gotta stop the light. What's going on? Turn it off!” He turned to Ironhide, who was closer. “You gotta tell him to shut it off. Shut it off!”

“Sam are you in there?” Ron asked, pounding on the door now. “How come the door’s locked? You know the rules; no doors locked in my house!”

There was scuffling around in Sam’s room but no talking. Sam was probably urging Mikaela to go hide.

Judy and Ron begin talking at the same time. “You know he’ll start counting if you don’t open this door--One more chance, five-”

“Ratchet!” I tried to help, waving my arms like an air traffic controller to get his attention. “Turn it off!”

“Oh dear--Four-”

“But you said so yourself: Humans cannot see well in the dark.” Ratchet looked down at me and replied.

“See he’s counting--It’s comin’ off the hinges pal--Sam just open the door!-”

I rubbed my temples. “Yes but his parents are coming in and they’ll see you! You gotta turn it off!”

“Three--Oh-”

Finally, _finally_ the buzzed medic switched his light off, muttering something like, “Lights on, lights off, make up your mind.”

I looked up to see Sam leaning out the window again, checking to make sure the light would _stay_ off. “Go!” I mouthed and waved him away.

“Two--He’s counting--Stand back-”

The sound of a door opening. “What’s up?” Sam greeted, none too casually. “What’s with the bat?”

“Who’re you talking to?” Ron asked.

A pause. “I’m talking to you.”

“Why are you so sweaty and filthy?” Judy wondered.

“I’m a child. You know, I’m a teenager.”

Again, Judy and Ron took up the talking-together/over each other-thing. “We heard voices and noises and we thought, maybe--It doesn’t matter what we thought--You were--What was that light?”

Then Sam and his Dad talked over each other. “What light? Wh-wh-wh there’s no light Dad! There’s no light!--There was a light.--You got two lights in your hand!--There was a light coming from underneath the door!--That’s what the light is maybe it bou-”

Sam started over with a new angle of attack. “Look you can’t-you can’t just bounce into my room like that! You gotta knock! You gotta communicate!” Which of course started a three-way talking-over-each-other-athon, Sam vs Ron and Judy.

“We did-we knocked--I’m a teenager--We knocked!--You didn’t knock, you were screaming at me okay?!--No!--Y-Y-Y this is repression, is what you’re doing here! Y-y-you’re ruining my youth!”

“Oh for Pete’s sakes!” Judy broke the chain. “You are so defensive! Were you…” Here I plugged my virgin ears. I didn’t want to hear this. By the time I removed my ears, it was now Sam and Ron vs Judy.

“That’s not somethin’ for you to bring up--It’s okay!--That’s a father and son thing--Father and son thing!”

Again Judy broke away with more awkward words. “I mean you don’t have to call it that word if that makes you uncomfortable. You can call it… Sam’s Happy Time. Or-”

Ron & Sam vs Judy again. “‘Happy Time?!’--My Special\--Mom--Stop!--Alone Time\--Mom--Judy _stop!_ \--By Myself\--Mom you can’t come in-”

“I’m sorry it’s just been a weird night.” Judy apologized. “I’ve had a little bit to drink.”

For a second it seemed like all the hustle and bustle were over. Then Sam stuttered, “N-no, Dad-” and Ron continued where he had left off. “Yeah, well, we saw a light.”

“Oh, parents.” Optimus warned as he waved Ratchet away from Sam’s bedroom window, inconveniently placing the Prime directly in front of the open window of Sam’s bathroom. A space Ron currently occupied.

“I don’t know where it was, but we saw it.” Sam’s dad said, alerting Optimus to his presence.

“Whoa!” the great Prime exclaimed, and quickly ducked away. Fortunately he’d moved just in time to avoid being seen. Unfortunately, in his efforts to hide, Optimus pressed up against the side of the house too quickly, making it shudder violently.

“Earthquake!” Ron cried. “Another one! Another earthquake! Get in the doorway!”

“Okay!” Judy replied from Sam’s room.

“Aftershock! Aftershock!” Ron continued. When the house stood still again, he sighed. “Oh, I hate these.”

Somehow, Optimus’s movement had caused some sort of backup generator to activate and all the lights, at least in the Witwickys’ house, came back to life. Good for the humans, bad for the Autobots.

“Quick! Hide!” Optimus ordered as the parents’ voices neared the open window.

“Hide!” Ironhide repeated urgently, no pun on his name intended.

Far from an expert reconnaissance team, the Autobots scrambled around like kindergarteners playing hide and seek. I knew what was coming and wanted to see it, so I was going to hide somewhere across the yard. What I did not expect was to suddenly be plucked up and carried away.

“Hey-!” escaped my mouth before it was shushed by the sudden presence of metal in my face. Rapidly shifting positions kept me still for fear of getting in the way, but when it was over I looked up at my black and yellow captor. He was on his knees and one hand, underneath the Witwicky’s porch, clutching me close with his free hand around my upper body, one finger lifted to cover my mouth.

I was about to ask what the big idea was, through the metal, when I noticed Jazz’s predicament and began to giggle. Small as he was, the best hiding spots were already taken by the bigger ‘Bots. “What? _Where?_ ” The confused lieutenant asked, sputtering in a way that used both robotic noises and his own voice. Spinning cluelessly back to the house, he braced his hands briefly on the wall to see how close Sam’s dad was to the window. “Oh! No!” he exclaimed softly at Ron’s near proximity and ducked. “ _Man!_ Man! Oh.” he muttered, settling to squeeze himself into a square-shaped room-thing to the side of the porch, directly below the window.

“Ooooooooh no!” I heard Ron moan from the window, and watched the beam from his flashlight shine across the wrecked yard. “Wouldja look at the yard, the yard is destroyed! Ah, Judy, we gotta call the city. We’ve got a blown transformer.” Oh the irony of that phrase would never cease to amuse me.

Speaking of amusing, it was a miracle that the ‘Bots stayed hidden at all. Ironhide had shoved buzzed-Ratchet around the corner of the house, but the weapons specialist’s shoulders were so broad that they stuck out into view. Optimus was squashed up against the side of the building, rising up on the front edges of his feet like tip-toes, and bracing his torso upwards to minimize contact with the building. Bumblebee crawled around tentatively under the porch, holding me close and ducking when his door-wings bonked the round, hanging lights above him. And Jazz didn’t quite fit all the way into that hole. If Ron had looked directly down, or to his left or right, the ‘Bots would’ve been screwed.

And it was _hilarious._

I was suddenly thankful for my metal muffler; my laugh attack was starting to bubble back up again.

“Power-poles sparkin’ all over the place, oh man, the yard’s a waste. Trashed. Gone!” Ron continued to complain before he finally turned away from the window. Thankfully, while he saw all the evidence of the ‘Bots, they themselves remained unseen by some miracle.

After another moment of listening to the voices inside, Jazz couldn’t keep quiet. Loud enough for us to hear, but not loud enough for those inside, he asked, “Why’re we hidin’?”

“Be quiet.” Ironhide growled.

A pause. “But… _Why’re we hidin’?_ ”

“If they see us, the boy’s progenitors will become alarmed.” Ratchet offered an explanation, his techy words out of place with his quirky demeanor.

Bumblebee looked down at me struggling in his hand. “What’s so _funny?_ ” an exasperated radio clip played so softly that only I could hear.

I was trying, _really_ trying not to be a nuisance, but it just wasn’t working. And for that I was ashamed. “I’m sorry,” I said, sobering up a bit and casting my eyes downwards as Bee removed his finger from my mouth, sensing that my sobriety would keep my quiet. My guilt didn’t last long though. “But,” I said, feeling the laughter in my stomach flutter up like butterflies. “Five giant robots, hiding from two tiny humans, pressed up against a house… Isn’t that _kind_ of funny?”

Bee thought about this for a seconds, saying nothing. Then his shoulders began to shake, and his expression became less serious. “I guess—maybe—a little bit.” He replied, replacing his finger as we both tried to contain our amusement.

“The parents are _very_ irritating.” Ironhide stated, stepping away from the house and bringing his cannons online, evidently done with listening to the humans inside argue.

“Yeahyeahyeah!” Ratchet _encouraged,_ boy that was weird, and pointed Ironhide’s left cannon through the window.

“Can I take them out?” the weapons specialist asked, which for some reason I found quite funny, and pressed my face closer to Bee’s finger to keep quiet.

“Despite their fragile microbiotic bodies and repeated indications of the contrary, they are sentient life-forms like us.” Optimus reminded him. Glancing down at where Bumblebee held me, he added. “No offence.”

I jerked my head free of Bumblebee’s finger long enough to reply, “None taken.” before I was once again consumed by giggles and my muffler was replaced.

“I will do it quickly and efficiently.” Ironhide persisted. “They will feel no pain.”

“ _Ironhide!_ ” Optimus snapped, removing himself from his awkward stance to talk to the weapons specialist from the other edge of Sam’s room, bracing his hand on the roof of the house. “You know we don’t harm humans! What is _with_ you?” Poor Prime just couldn’t get a break. I felt bad about it, but laughed some more.

“Well, I’m just saying we could,” the trigger-happy ‘Bot sulked. “It’s an option.”

Alarm crossed my caretaker’s face when he realized what I was laughing at. I’ll admit it is a bit strange to laugh at a giant alien needlessly taking out some of your species. “Okay— _how_ is that funny?” he asked.

By now I was exasperated with myself. “I don’t _know!_ ” If my hands hadn’t been pinned to my sides, I would’ve thrown them in the air. The good news was that my exasperation chased away my laugh attack. Now I could remember what, or _who_ was coming.

I wriggled around to be let loose, and when Bee noticed my seriousness I was released. Making sure that no one was coming back to the window, I snuck back over to where Optimus stood.

I paused for a moment. Optimus was pretty near his breaking point, and I didn’t want to push him. I’d seen him mad, not in person but it was still terrifying, and I did _not_ want that anger directed at me. However, I didn’t know how in the movie the Autobots became aware of the Sector Seven agents en route. They probably had some sort of detection programing, but for all I knew, in this world _I_ was the only warning they were going to get.

“Prime!” I whisper-called up to him. When I had his attention, I braced myself, but reported, “There are more humans coming! _Bad_ humans! And they’re looking for you! You need to get out of here!”

Even though Optimus had every right to be frustrated and angry-particularly at me-in this situation, he kept his tone soft when he replied. “But we cannot leave the glasses to fall into the wrong hands. You know this.”

“I know. I _know_ I know.” I tried to reassure him. “And you’ll get them. But right now you have to leave. Sam’ll find the glasses and get them to you.”

“How?” Not a condemnation of my statement as an impossibility; a query on the extent of my knowledge and for further details.

Gulping a bit, because I knew the Autobots wouldn’t like this bit, I answered. “The bad humans are going to take Sam and Mikaela-”

“What?!” Ironhide interrupted, his voice borderline revealingly-loud. “I will not allow it! Why should we retreat from humans? We can make a stand for the children and the glasses here and now!”

“Hold up!” I threw my arms to the night sky in a T-formation. “Time out Ironhide! You can’t do that! But what you _can_ do,” I turned back to Optimus. “Is meet them at the bridge and surprise them. You can get the teenagers back then, and get to the bad guys too. Scare ‘um, shake ‘um up a bit, you know?” I turned back to Ironhide. “Show ‘um your cannons.”

There was silence, or at least relative silence with human squabbling in the background, as my suggestion was contemplated. Ironhide’s expression had become a bit more agreeable when I’d sweetened the deal, though of course he wasn’t so simple-minded that a little bribe could change his mind.

“We _would_ have the element of surprise.” Ratchet added, calmer now but still twitching a bit. “If these other humans believe to know our location, they may be too prepared. Not that I’m saying they would be any sort of a challenge for us, but there is the matter of human civilian casualties in a resulting struggle.”

Jazz spoke up, to me actually. “Is this what we’re s’posed to do?” he asked, leaning of out his hidy-hole a bit. “Like in this movie you were tellin’ us ‘bout?”

“I am just following the script.” I admitted. “I really don’t know what would happen if you stayed. Sorry.”

Somehow, everyone’s gaze ended up on Bumblebee. After realizing this, his eyes widened a bit in surprise, as if he didn’t expect to be a part of the decision making process. His hand reached up to rub the back of his neck, his elbow sending some lanterns swinging wildly in the process, but still a very human gesture. “Well, she hasn’t steered me wrong yet.” He stated. “Got me where I needed to go—kept me on track.—We’re here now, aren’t we?” He looked down at me. “I think we can trust her judgment.”

I swallowed thickly and prayed they’d listen. I was still afraid that my mere presence was going to make things take a turn for the worse.

Finally, Optimus made his decision. “We will retreat to the bridge and cut off the humans there.” And none of the Autobots questioned further.

A breath I didn’t know I’d been holding in blew out of my lungs with a huff. _So far, so good._

I don’t know why I was surprised when Bumblebee’s door popped open to me. Maybe I just figured they’d leave me here to get taken by the Sector Seven guys too. Sure, I didn’t _want_ to go with those creeps, but I guess it didn’t really cross my mind that any of the Autobots would even go so far as to think of what I wanted.

_Or they just want to keep their info safe,_ I thought as I hopped in and buckled up. _Yeah, that’s it._

As Bumblebee rolled back out onto the road, following the rest of the Autobots, I sat erect in my seat, my whole body tense. Something was bothering me immensely. I was trying to think ahead in the movie, but my thoughts were muddled from exhaustion and excitement to come up with a clear picture. Again and again I played the proceeding scene in my head, but every time I did I felt like I was forgetting something important.

After a bit, soft, soothing music began to drift from Bumblebee’s radio. Whether this was in effort to calm me or an unintentional, cruel precursor to what was about to go down, I didn’t know.

I was just glad they trusted me.


	9. Chapter 9

**_*A barrage of bullets peppers the fourth wall, leaving a crude oblong shape. A foot kicks the center down, and outsteps a small girl of about 10 years, carrying an assault rifle. She looks up at you and waves* Hi! I’m Iris, the main character of this story. I’ve come here today, to the other side of the fourth wall, to deliver an apology on behalf of my author for taking so long to update this fanfiction. You’ve all been such wonderful followers, and you have waited so patiently for the next chapter. My author has no legitimate excuse. She’s just a lazy lump on a log who doesn’t know how to get her butt off of Tumblr and do something productive with her life. *Sighs* Oh well, here it is anyway. No harm no foul, right? Well, *Scratches head* I wouldn’t say NO harm… Speaking of which, if you’ll excuse me, *Hefts gun* I’m going to go repay my author for all the crap she puts me through in this chapter. Enjoy the show! *Darts out of sight. Screaming and gunshots are heard*_ **

* * *

 

As many stars that were in the sky on that night, I’ve sorrowed over what I failed to remember that day.

* * *

 

Bumblebee, Ratchet, Ironhide and Jazz were in position, hiding in vehicle mode on the bridge. Below, Optimus Prime was standing in a dark alley, pressed against the massive brick wall in attempting to hide his huge bulk.

Where was I, you ask? In a place of honor: Prime’s left shoulder.

Now you’re probably wondering, _Why would she be up there?_ The answer was quite simple really: The rest of the Autobots would be coming down from the bridge in acrobatic maneuvers of the highest of skill, and holding on to me while doing that was just not a good idea, no matter how much I trusted them. There had been an argument to exclude me from the entire encounter, instead tucking me away someplace safe. However, it was debated that I was most vulnerable on my own, and that I must have an Autobot accompanying me at all times. So, the conclusion was that I would be safest with none other than the Prime himself.

The whole fuss over me made extremely embarrassed, and I was nervous to the point of shaking slightly when I was lifted to Optimus’s shoulder. I prayed none of the Autobots noticed.

When the Prime had first offered his huge, metal hand, I’d stepped up as delicately as possible. I was still stuck in my whole ‘He’s too great to be touched’ mindset. Even though his movements were careful and deliberate, the upwards motion and my nerves unbalanced me to the point where I fell to my knees, settling to stay somewhat seated on the way up, and forgetting my reservations enough to clutch the great fingers for dear life. When I reached ‘top floor’, I forced my shaky legs to support myself and cautiously stepped onto Optimus’s broad (understatement) shoulder. I tried to move around as little as possible, immediately crouching and using the huge, jutting shoulder panels for support, then turning myself to the front. I settled my legs in front of me, found a solid surface to brace my feet on, and sat.

I exhaled and looked down. Prayers echoed involuntarily through my head as I felt my feet begin to sweat. You know that urge to jump you get when you stand in a high place, yet it’s completely un-suicidal? Later I would hear that, it’s not the urge to jump; it’s deeper than that. It’s the urge to fall.

Whatever you call it, it was there, and stronger than ever. I’ve always had it, and as far as I can tell, it’s stronger in me than in most people. Strong enough that it’d make me afraid to be around heights; it’s not that I _might_ fall which frightened me, but the aspect that I’d _decide_ to fall. I didn’t always trust myself not to make that decision. That’s why my sweaty hands clutched any hold they could find so tightly.

It wasn’t all terribly nerve-wracking though. I remembered Simmons, the S7 agent. I was still having trouble remembering what he would do, the memory frustratingly just out of touch, but I did remember one thing: that I was looking forward to watching him squirm.

“Hang on,” Optimus warned me now, his voice low but still echoing through the alley, before his battle-mask slid out over his face. I could see the pack of black SUVs coming down the highway under the bridge, right towards us. The Prime pushed away from the wall and stepped out just in time to stop the lead SUV. But of course, ‘stop’ is a relatively broad term. A better way to describe it would probably be that the immeasurably large foot was rooted so heavily to the road that when the SUV smashed into it, the car spun into hysterics while the foot didn’t so much as sway. Screeching and squealing, the vehicle smashed again into Optimus’s other foot, where it got caught on the edge and finally came to a stop. There was much screaming from inside, but most of the damage had been done to the front end of the car and the occupants were unharmed. The other SUVs veered away from the metal behemoth, but came to equally loud halts nearby.

Optimus walked around the vehicle, approaching it from the front. As he bent over to pick up the car, I climbed backwards on his shoulder to stay as vertical as possible. Perched on top, I had the best seat in the house as the Prime stuck his hands through the windows of the SUV, shattering the glass before pulling up on the roof of the car. He did not lift it high, only about ten feet of the ground; he just wanted the top to come off. When it did not give after a moment, Optimus gently shook the SUV a bit, until main frame broke from the roof and landed roughly but safely back on the road. His bright headlights shined over four occupants: Sam and Mikaela in the back, Simmons riding passenger, and the guy I could never think of as anyone but Arwin from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody in the driver’s seat. They all held up their hands to block the harsh light as Optimus straightened up. I shifted to comply, and hung on tightly as the Prime through away the car roof with his other arm.

When his headlights went out, I could no longer help myself. “Hey guys!” I called cheerfully down to the teenagers, relinquishing my right hand’s hold to wave.

Mikaela’s face broke out into a grin, and Sam leaned forward to talk to the two government officials. “Now you *-***** are in tuh- _ruh_ -ble. Gentlemen, I wanna introduce you to my friend,” He looked up at the absurdly-massive robot, the two men mimicking his motion. “Optimus Prime.”

Simmons started to rise, but he froze at the sound of a very deep, loud, _angry_ voice.

“Taking the children was a _bad_ move.” Optimus rumbled. The driver (I’m just gonna call him Arwin) and all the inhabitants from the other SUV’s ran over and ready their weapons. But the Prime was not deterred by puny Earth assault rifles. “Autobots, relieve them of their weapons.” he called to his comrades, who came swinging down from the bridge like apes. Each one landed on the pavement with a crash, startling the soldiers into shouts and yells.

“Freeze!” Ironhide yelled as he walked over and trained his cannons on the humans, who could not figure out which giant to aim at, the other Autobots following in suit.

“Gimme those!” Jazz exclaimed, his hand spinning and activating a powerful magnet that tore all the guns and any other loose metal from the S-7 peoples’ hands, leaving them unarmed.

Simmons held his hands up in surrender and glanced over his shoulder at what had just happened. “Whoa!”

When Optimus brought his hand up to me, I quickly jumped on and held tight. The Prime’s whole body came down, bracing himself on his hands and knees in front of the other humans. When he set the hand I was in on the ground, I hopped off and ran over to Bumblebee, not wanting to be in the way.

“… Hi there.” Simmons tried to sound friendly, while Arwin stood off to the side with a comically-horrified expression on his face.

The Prime leaned forward. “You don’t seem afraid. Are you not surprised to see us?”

Arwin looked at Simmons as his superior tried to beat around the bush. “Look, there are… S7 protocols, okay? I’m not authorized to communicate with you, except to tell you that I can’t communicate with you.”

“Get out of the car.” Optimus growled threateningly. He was completely done dealing with crap today.

“Alright, alright, me?” Simmons wavered.

“NOW!” the Prime barked. It was so scary that, without thinking, I found myself closer to Bumblebee and clutching his leg. I knew it was coming, it wasn’t directed towards me, and I trusted Optimus, but I was still afraid. As I released my grip on the Autobot, trying to keep the heat in my face down, I promised myself then and there that I would never give the Prime a reason to use that voice at me.

Either way, it got the humans moving. The government people kept their hands in the air, sufficiently frightened, while the teenagers were more relaxed in their exit; Mikaela was even smiling.

Simmons, however, still attempted to remain calm and keep a loose atmosphere. “Pretty nifty how you put us down without, well, killing us.” He kept babbling on, trying to be overly friendly and abiding with the Autobots. “Hey, how’re you doing tonight?” and other ridiculous stuff.

For some reason it was starting to piss me off; I was running too low on energy to have much of a filter left. I remembered how Ron, Judy, and little Mojo (that REALLY made my blood boil) were taken away, what Simmons had threatened to do to Mikaela’s dad, and how much of a creep he was to her. And I became about as done with him as Optimus was.

Simmons didn’t notice me stalking over to him, my height working to my advantage for once, so he wasn’t even really aware of what was happening then I kicked him in the crotch. “That was for the Witwickys.” I told him, my voice as cold as a kid’s can be. I kneed him in the head as well, since he was already bent over in pain and I figured I could hit harder with my knee than I could with my hand. “And that was for the Baneses.” I added. I’d hit him hard enough for my knee to hurt, but I grit my teeth and did not cry out.

I clenched my fists as the other S7’s rushed at me. The _flight_ part of my fight-or-flight response seemed to be broken; there was no way I could even make a dent in their armor, but that thought didn’t even register as I put up my dukes.

Luckily, I didn’t even need to throw a punch. Bumblebee’s big yellow foot came down beside me, cracking the concrete with its force, and he made it very obvious that his cannon was now pointed at the men in my proximity. Since I wasn’t paying attention, I didn’t even flinch. I can only imagine this made me look incredibly bad-apple. I glanced up at Bee and smiled as the S7 men backed away and raised their hands. Oh the joys of having a giant robot on your side.

“Big guys. Big guys with big guns. And little girls with attitude problems.” Simmons groaned, just now able to straighten up and put his hands back in the air. When I joined the teenagers in their march up to the man, his eyes widened and he backed away. “Whoa hey, keep that kid away from me, alright? I don’t need to add a psycho child to my list of problems.”

My eyebrows furrowed together and my eyes narrowed. “You wanna see psycho?” I asked, stepping towards him.

“Hey, hang on, Iris.” My arm was grabbed and I snapped my head around at Sam. “Not worth it.”

“Iris?” I turned back around as Simmons repeated my name. “Who are you anyway? You weren’t on file with the Witwickys’, or the Banes’. You one of the aliens? Huh?” The man bent down exaggeratedly, keeping his hands in the air, but putting his face very close to mine. He continued in a threateningly soft voice, “You their pet? Some sort of little monster-hybrid? I bet you are. Know what I’d like to do?” He was trying to frighten me. I decided I wouldn’t let him. But then he said something that made my hair stand on end.

“I’d like to have my guys cut you up in their lab.”

Slowly building panic began to erode away my though front. _Jesus, no,_ I thought as fear rose in my chest. _Not that._

“Oh, that’s a scary thought, isn’t it?” I stiffened as Simmons noticed my reaction. He stared into my widening eyes creepily. “I think I’ll do just that. Slice you open, poke around a bit, see what makes you tick.”

“Hey why don’t you shut the **** up.” Mikaela pulled me away and placed herself between the man and I. She was tense, hands balled into fists and standing tall as she faced him. “The kid’s human like us, but she’s got more than one giant robot ready to **** you up if you or any of your S7-goons so much as touch her.” Her voice sounded like venom. “And I’ll be joining them.”

Safely behind Mikaela, I turned away and took a deep, shaky breath. When I looked up, sure enough, the Autobots were watching me intently. Bee, who had backed off when the teenagers joined me, especially seemed right on his toes. It embarrassed me to be at the center of their attention, but…at the same time, it felt good.

“Yeah, and what is Sector 7?” Sam demanded, changing the subject away from me. When the government man didn’t reply, Sam persisted. “Answer me!”

“I’m the one who asks the questions around here, not you, young man!” Simmons yelled angrily.

“How’d you know about the aliens?” Mikaela asked, directly ignored him.

“Where’d you take my parents?” Sam added.

“I am not at liberty to discuss this.” Simmons replied, his head snapping between the two.

“No?” Sam asked as he reached inside the man’s suit.

He couldn’t stop Sam physically, because his hands were up and there were alien weapons trained on him, so Simmons tried verbally. “Hey. You touch me that’s a federal offence.”

“We don’t care, do we, hon?” Mikaela replied, rubbing my hair a bit as she smirked down at me, letting me know that she’d seen what I had done. It felt good to make her happy.

Sam held up Simmons’s ID. “Do-whatever-you-want-and-get-away-with-it badge, right?” he said as he, Mikaela, and I turned away to look at it.

“Brave all of a sudden with his big alien friends standing over there.” Simmons said loud enough for us to hear.

“Here, kid,” Sam muttered softly as he pressed badge into my hand and turned back to the man. “Where is Sector 7?” He continued his interrogation.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Simmons answered smugly.

Fingering the badge, I looked up at Bumblebee and motioned to the man with my eyes, a grin creeping up.

Ever helpful, as always, Bumblebee stepped forward, flipped a switch down where his crotch would be, and ejected red solo cup with a _boing_ sound. It hit Simmons right in the back of his head. The official did not respond at first, but right as he lifted his hand to where the cup had hit it, he was showered in a stream of hot lubricant.

“Hey-EY!” Simmons yelled in protest, getting a mouthful of brown liquid, and by association of distance, Arwin, who made yelping sounds of discomfort.

I fell to my knees and clutched the badge to my stomach in laughter. Sure it was a bit immature, but I could not get over how much it looked like the men were being peed on.

“Bumblebee, _stop lubricating the man._ ” Optimus told him, his voice hard with annoyance, as Simmons shouted, “Get that thing to stop, huh?!”

Obediently, Bee shut off the stream, but then he looked up at his fellow ‘Bots with a shrug and a noise that sounded like ‘What?”

I stifled my laughter and looked up at him, giving a discrete thumbs-up before rising to my feet again.

Jazz stepped forward and released a bunch of handcuffs from the loot he’d gathered with his magnet in front of Mikaela. “Secure ‘um.” He told her, his visor risen to reveal a wink.

With a wicked grin that said ‘With pleasure,’ Mikaela picked up the handcuffs, handed some to Sam, and they got to work.

While they did that, I looked at the badge in my hand and got an idea. Holding back a smile of anticipation, I jogged up to the weapons specialist. “Hey Ironhide,” I said just loud enough for him to hear. “You a good shot?”

Ironhide made a buzzing sound, somewhat familiar to a human snort. “Stupid question.” He grumbled.

I let my smile break free and held up the badge. “Target practice.” I explained.

He paused for a moment, contemplating the pros and cons of complying. Then he messed with his left cannon a bit until the opening narrowed. A more precise shot. In a low voice, he said, “Pull.”

I flung the badge up in the air with all my might, but it still didn’t go very high. Yet, Ironhide took the shot. Before the badge had even begun to fall it was caught up in a fireball that whizzed overhead too fast to see. The force of whatever Ironhide’s ammunition was was too great for the tiny target, and so it kept going, zooming over the humans’ heads and hitting the side of one of the SUV’s across the street. The car turned over on its side and burst into flames with a _BANG!_

“Whoa!” I yelled through my laughter, spinning around to see the carnage. Then I stopped to see Optimus’s gaze on me. He was not so entertained.

My face began to heat up like a black car in the summer. I gulped, “Uh oh,” and darted behind the nearest giant leg. It belonged to Ratchet, who leaned back a bit to watch me behind him. He didn’t seem angry, just interested. Amused, maybe.

Uncomfortable to be at the center of bad attention, I tried to apologize. I stuck my head out a bit to look at Optimus, but could not meet his eyes. “Sorry.” I said softly.

By this time, Sam and Mikaela had cuffed eight S7 men in a line and cuffed Arwin to a pole. Which just left Simmons. While Sam cuffed Armin’s free hand to the long line of S7 men, Mikaela marched between Simmons and Arwin and ordered, “Alright, tough guy, take it off.”

“… What’re you talking about?” Simmons asked as the teen turned to face him defiantly.

“You’re clothes. All of it. Off.” Mikaela elaborated.

“For what?” Simmons was still confused.

The teen took a breath. “For threatening my dad.”

I smiled. Mikaela was _pissed_ and it was _great_.

Simmons stared at her in angry disbelief for a while, but when the girl did not waver, he stripped off his jacket. “Little lady,” he said, not taking his eyes off her as he tore off his pin-on tie and ripped open his sweat-stained, not to mention lubricant-soaked, button up shirt. He wasn’t shirtless, thankfully, wearing a dirty wife-beater with the Superman symbol, only the S was accompanied by a 7.

Mikaela said nothing, just nodding for him to proceed with the bottom portion of his attire.

“You’re a criminal.” Simmons continued as he undid his belt. “Mmhm. Let’s face facts.” He seemed to be having a bit of trouble with the belt, since he refused to take his eyes of the teen and all. “It’s in your gene pool.” Finally, his pants came down to reveal Hawaiian boxers that read ‘Aloha,’ legs looking like they hadn’t seen the light in years, and those dorky straps that hold your socks up.

“Those are nice.” Mikaela commented, mocking him with her smirk. “Wow, pasty. Government troglodyte. Vitamin D, sunlight, definitely look into it.” She moved towards him. “Legs like that, you don’t even have to open your mouth to scare the girls on the beach.” Then her face turned hard as stone again. “Now get behind the pole.”

“Alright,” Simmons replied, with mocking compliance.

“This is such a felony, what you’re doing.” Arwin told the teenagers, trying to be threatening. They paid him no attention as Mikaela cuffed both of Simmons’s arms around the pole and Sam cuffed Arwin to Simmons.

Encouraged by his driver, Super-7-Man added, “I will hunt you down.”

“Hunt you down.” Arwin repeated.

“Without any remorse.”

“No remorse!”

“’Kay?”

Mikaela laughed and went back to what was left of the SUV to retrieve her purse like a lady. “Man, if Trent could see me now.” She mused.

I was surprised to see Sam gaping at her in disbelief. “Excuse me, what’d you-if _Trent_ could see you now? You’re serious.”

The girl blinked, trying to figure out what she’d said wrong. “What?”

“I just-I can’t believe this! We contact an _alien race_ together and all you care about is what that Neanderthalic jock _thinks_ about you?” Sam shook his head. “You don’t think that’s a little weird?”

Mikaela’s defenses had not gone down from dealing with Simmons, and now her full artillery was trained on Sam. “What are you, my therapist all of a sudden?” she snapped.

 _Back away, man,_ I thought towards Sam. I didn’t really understand what was going on, but I could see that it wasn’t good.

But Sam didn’t stop. “This isn’t like your average Friday night where we’re just hanging out. I mean, a little while ago I had some four-foot little gremlinny alien machine try to cut my legs off!”

As the teens argued, Jazz began move around a bit. He patted different areas on his body, and then he searched around the scene with his eyes. He seemed to be looking for something.

“I _know._ ”

Sam’s hands began to gesture wildly, painting a picture in the air. “Wait, I’m having a vision! We’re gonna go back to school Monday morning and _nothing’s_ gonna gave changed. I’ll still be the invisible guy in homeroom and you’ll go back to being _shallow._ ” He actually looked up to the Prime for help. “Optimus, dude, back me up on this.”

“We cannot take sides in your adolescent gender battles.” He replied, looking more confused than anything.

Mikaela was furious by now, and right in Sam’s face. “ _Shallow?_ I got a record ‘cause I wouldn’t sell out my dad! When’ve you ever had to sacrifice _anything_ in your perfect little life? Did you cry ‘cause you didn’t get the latest Xbox for Christmas? All pouty ‘cause you only got an old Camaro instead of a new Corvette?”

The two were nose-to-nose when I heard a sound. A bad sound.

“No!” I yelled as I dashed over to Arwin, snatching the cellphone from his hand. In the unexpectedness of the fight, I’d forgotten my cues again. Sure enough, the phone was on speaker. “NO!” I yelled again, smashing the phone on the ground in anger. “Optimus! We gotta go!” I turned and shouted at the Prime. “NOW!”

But the Autobots were already far too aware of that was happening. Many SUVs came up over the hillside, followed by a few military helicopters. They were coming in hot, right towards us.

“Incoming!” Ironhide shouted, leaping to the front and slamming his left cannon into the ground. This released a strong electromagnetic pulse that traveled through the asphalt and towards the SUV’s, taking out their tires and sending them spinning and showering sparks. Yet they kept coming, and there was still the helicopters to worry about.

“Roll out!” Optimus commanded his Autobots, who had already begun transforming. They rounded the corner with the crushed SUV and the S7 men, and took off in the opposite direction. The Prime himself stayed behind, crouched, and offered his hand to the teenagers and I. “Up ya get.” He told us.

I wasted no time climbing on, fear already coursing through my system, and the teenagers followed right after. Even in his haste, Optimus was careful; Mikaela sat with her feet dangling, and he bent his thumb over her lap to keep her from falling. As a helicopter flew around the bridge, its search light baring down brightly on us were lifted to the Prime’s right shoulder, and we quickly scrambled up as his battle mask slid over his face once again. We tucked ourselves under an up-thrust shoulder panel and grabbed on to a jutting smokestack in the center. I was surprised to find the teenagers holding on to me as well, wrapping their arms around me as well as the pipe.

Optimus ran alongside the bridge, looking for a place to hide as the helicopter came after him. When it caught up, he abandoned his search in favor of running in earnest. He watched as the whirly-bird flew over and past him, and when it circled back around he left the bridge. Through the streets he ran, crushing concrete with every step, but still avoiding the honking, screeching cars that occupied them. Moving with surprising agility for his size, Optimus quickly ducked into an alley. Between the cars on the people that were going berserk not only from the giant robot but also the low-hanging helicopter, the chopper lost us. I never understood how it was so easy to escape, but on the other hand I didn’t take it for granted.

While the helicopters still searched, Optimus found a hiding place. He circled around climbed into the supports of the bridge, positioning himself in the main arch, high above the concrete below. He swung his legs up just in time, bracing himself _horizontally against gravity_ , before two helicopters came swopping in, their search lights flashing around desperately. One of them exited out, but another stayed behind, and I knew we were in trouble.

“Easy, you three,” Optimus said softly to us. We’d had to reposition ourselves against gravity, Sam clinging to the pipe higher up, Mikaela perched on the back of the Prime’s head, and I was stuck between them, clinging to whatever I could find. The teenagers kept quiet, but the close proximity of the helicopter was beginning to make me panic. As we watched it come closer, Sam climbed a bit higher up and I searched to find a new grip.

In the movie, I’d always wondered what had made Mikaela fall. The directors probably didn’t have a good reason, so they’d just cut to her falling. But now there needed to be a reason, and that’s when I got my answer:

It was me. My sweaty palms, my lack of muscle, plus the sucking downwards of the helicopter’s propellers created a recipe for disaster. As I tried to climb onto the Prime’s back, I was finding no grips good enough for my slick hands. I felt the wind tugging at my clothes, and my fingers and arms shook with my effort to hang on. I had almost made it, but a good enough grip was not found, and I was too weak.

So I fell.

As my body tipped backwards, Mikaela reached down and grabbed my angle. Her well-manicured fingernails dug into my flesh, but her sudden movement had unbalanced her too, and she began to fall. We were only stopped by Sam grabbing Mikaela’s arm, clinging to the edge of Optimus’s smokestack.

Dangling by just my ankle, I stared down, down at the concrete so far below with wide eyes. I felt my stomach drop and saw the water. With the height, our chances wouldn’t have been good, but if we’d been able to fall into the water and arrow ourselves into perfect dives, we just might have made it. However, the river was too far away for any of us to land in. It was only a hard impact death that waited below.

“Don’t let go! I’m slipping! I’m slipping!” Mikaela screamed above me, trying frantically to hold on to Sam’s sleeve.

All-consuming fear forced itself outward, downward, from the top of my toes out through my mouth, and echoed against the concrete in the form of a raw scream.

Sam’s grip in the smokestack finally slipped. Down I fell, shrieking my lungs out. Optimus bellowed and swung his legs down in a desperate attempt to save us, but I could not grab on at that speed. I hit the great metal feet but continued falling. I knew nothing but blind terror as I plummeted down, only just registering the nearing proximity of my doom. Prayers rocketed through my brain, pinging around like a pinball machine as my mind slipped into a fear-driven insanity.

Then my descent was cut short. Hardness slammed into me, but not the hardness of the ground below. It forced me together with less hard things, squished the breath out of my lungs, but it caught me, and yanked me around every which way with wrenching speed. There was a great screeching of metal, and then it stopped.

When I could comprehend again, I realized that Bumblebee had caught not only me, but Sam and Mikaela too. We were all clasped together in his hands, beaten, battered, and shaken up, but safe.

The teenagers got up as quickly as they could, but I remained where I was for a moment, recovering from the shock.

And then it hit me. Harder than Optimus’s foot, harder than Bee catching us, and harder than the concrete would have if we’d fallen the whole way. I remembered.

“Bee!” I yelled, rising to my legs, which threatened to fold beneath me. A different kind of fear rose in my chest: not insane. Calm, but still urgent. “You have to run! You have to get out of here! Go! Please!”

But he didn’t listen to me. Thinking nothing of his own safety, Bumblebee leapt to his feet to defend us as a helicopter came back through the arch.

I screamed when a grappling hook, fired from a launcher aboard the chopper, wrapped itself around his left arm. “NO!” I wanted to help, but didn’t know how.

The teenagers yelled at the helicopters, waving their arms for them to stop. But another came by and took Bee’s right arm. A third caught his foot, and flew by with such speed that it yanked him off his feet, spun him through the air with a snap, and planted him face-first into the ground.

My feet were slamming against the concrete before I was aware of what I was doing. I sprinted to the Autobot and grabbed the wire around one of his hands. “You’re gonna be okay.” I murmured through my strained, raspy breaths as I tugged at the grappling hook with my fingers. They cut and bled on the sharpened edges. “You’re gonna get out of here. It won’t happen to you! You’re gonna be fine! I won’t let it happen! I WON’T!”

With a final tug, the grappling hook came snapping back, unwinding itself around his arm and smacking me to the ground in the process. It flew away. Bee’s left arm was free.

I didn’t have time to celebrate. I immediately leapt to my feet and headed for the other arm, but was pulled back. I turned to see that it was Bumblebee’s free hand. It wrapped around me and held me close to him.

“No! No!” I cried, struggling to get away. “I have to help! They’re going to take you! Let me GO!”

From every side, more SUV’s and helicopters came, surrounding Sam and Mikaela, separating them from Bumblebee and I. Many armored men with assault weapons came running out at us.

Bumblebee tried to get to his feet, tugging vaguely at the wires on his appendages, but he really wasn’t fighting back. He ignored my pleas to let me help him, sheltering me with his body and keeping himself between the men and me.

I didn’t understand. Why was Bee risking so much? If he just fought back, he could be free! I understood why he wanted to protect the teenagers, but I couldn’t comprehend why he would give up a chance of escape and defend me instead. I didn’t care. I didn’t want to be protected. I wanted to help. It didn’t matter what happened, I just wanted to help him.

Even if Bee wouldn’t let me help, I was still going to try. I turned and started shrieking like a harpy at the men. “Go away! Leave him alone!”

Then came the freezing gas. Supercooled carbon-fiber liquid sprayed at high pressure from tanks mounted on the S7 people’s backs, misting over Bumblebee from head to toe. It coated his systems, making it difficult to move. Some of it caught my flesh. It freeze-burned like you wouldn’t believe.

My eyes squeezed shut as my screams turned from desperation to agony. When I could bare it again, I opened them and found Bumblebee looking at me. His bright blue eyes studied my body, widening in alarm as they flashed over my ice-bitten skin, and he looked…worried. He groaned as another jet of liquid clouded over us and yanked me away from the blast. He was getting so cold, and his metal hand against me began to hurt almost as much as the icy blast itself. My vision blurred as I looked up at Bee again. I tried to bite back the pain for his sake. I couldn’t figure out his expression; it looked like sadness, and determination.

The next thing I knew, I was rolling on the concrete. Bumblebee had relinquished his grip and had thrown me, just hard enough to put me a significant distance away. I came to a stop with no additional injuries, but I couldn’t leave him. I ignored my pain and ran right back to his face.

Unable to pick out words from the radio, Bee made noises of insistence in every other way he could. What was left of his voice strained hard, and his eyes pleaded with me to go.

“No!” I yelled above the commotion. Abandoning any reservations I had left, I slid to my knees, wrapped my arms around his neck as far as they would go, and hugged my protector fiercely. I felt wetness on my face, and realized I was crying. No; sobbing. “I’m not gonna leave you!”

As Bumblebee’s movements became even more limited, the S7 men were able to get in closer, to take me. I felt their hard hands close around me and pull. “NO!” I screamed in desperation, clutching on to the Autobot with every ounce of strength I had left. “NO! YOU CAN’T DO THIS! YOU CAN’T TAKE HIM! NO! STOP IT! LET ME GO!” Losing my grip, I turned and fought them, tooth and claw. I did not see faces or people, just bits of flesh not covered by their helmets. Targets.

There was swearing and exclamations of pain, but the men let go. I tore away and ran to Bumblebee, but one of them caught my leg and I face planted into the concrete. I tasted hot, sticky saltiness. My nose was bleeding.

I didn’t care. I fought on, kicking with my free foot and trying to pull myself forward. “I WON’T LET YOU! NO! LET ME GO!”

I barely felt the sharp pain in my leg, but I felt its effects almost immediately. My vision blurred. My world spun. I became drowsy. Everything in my body told me to just give up.

“ **BUMBLEBEE!** ” I screamed so hard I literally felt my voice break. I could scream no more. As my senses continued to dull, I tried to keep my eyes on the Autobot who’d taken such good care of me. He had not only been Sam’s guardian, but mine. And me, useless, weak me. I couldn’t even return the favor.

My friend stared back so sadly, it made my heart break.

I felt my consciousness slipping away from me. I had one more thing to say, but my world was quickly fading to black. My body would no longer obey me, and my brain could no longer tell it what to do. I could struggle no more.

Falling deep into the darkness, my final thought echoed through my mind.

_I’m sorry._


	10. Chapter 10

**_Okay but I have good excuses this time!_ **

**_Work, school, and drama practice have been kicking my butt lately. Especially work. Hopefully I’ll be quitting soon and getting a new job. I can’t handle being there all weekend and till midnight on school nights; I need a job with better hours, a minimum wage pay, and breaks for non-minors. It’s having effects on my grades. I should actually be recovering from my senior slide right now but GUESS WHAT heha…_ **

**_Anyway, sorry for the shortness of this chapter. I was gonna include more but it was getting REALLY long and you guys have been waiting a while so HEY why not post part!? So yeah, not much happens I guess, but it’s better than nothing, right?_ **

* * *

 

My consciousness waned in and out. I wasn’t quite asleep but never really awoke. Stuck in a dreamlike state, but worse. When I dream I can usually either tell that I am dreaming or wake myself up. This time it was different. The things I saw, heard, felt – I could not tell if they were real. I could never rouse myself to make sure. Just stuck in a mind-tumbling abyss.

Rough hands grabbed me and tossed me around. Bumblebee immobile under the freezing gas. Sam was yelling, demanding something. Barricade’s evil red eyes glared as he crushed me. Arms held me firmly, protectively. People were running through the streets, screaming. Men in black armor swarmed over me like insects. My body stung like fire then faded into an icy cool. A police car ran me over, driving me into the ground. I was falling…falling…

THUMP

I snapped awake. My eyes darted around and my heartbeat thudded like a sledgehammer against my chest, but it began to subside as I realized that I was fully conscious again. It was loud, but my ears felt plugged. I was strapped to the back of whatever I was sitting on and propped somewhat upwards. Three people sat across from me. And armored man and... The hackers! Maggie (her hair had green streaks, just like it was supposed to) and Glen, wearing big headphones with microphones, were looking at me.

A soft, well-manicured hand brushed my hair out of my face. I rotated my head towards the gesture and found Mikaela sitting to my right. She too was buckled in with big earphones on her head. She smiled simply, sadly.

“Mm,” I groaned. Not quite what I was going for, so I tried again. My throat felt like I was swallowing gravel. “Where…?” I heard my own voice crackling through earphones, caught by the microphone in front of me. I sounded pathetic. I had expected my voice to be a full octave lower like it felt, but instead it was small and childish.

“We’re in a helicopter.” Sam’s voice answered. “They won’t tell us where we’re going.”

Turning my head to the left, I looked for the boy. He sat on my other side, watching me with concerned eyes. In fact, everyone was looking at me. The teens, the hackers, everyone but the armored man. It made me nervous.

I tried to sit up. Everything hurt, and I groaned. “Bee?” I asked, my memory still foggy.

The query was met with silence. I looked at Mikaela, then Sam. Neither of them would meet my eyes.

I slumped against my straps. They didn’t let me go far, so I let my neck relax and my head fell against my chest like a dead corpse. I had failed. I had known what was coming and had done nothing to stop it. I didn’t warn anyone when I remembered and then I forgot. I remembered too late and then I could do nothing to help. I was stupid, weak, and utterly useless. _You were supposed to keep the bad stuff from happening._ _That’s why you’re here, remember? And you blew it. You could have told them while you remembered. What did you think you could do by yourself? You’re such an idiot._

Tears slid down my nose and hit my hands. I looked down at them, sitting in my lap. Where I’d cut them on the grappling hook was now wrapped in white bandages. Below them, gaping holes in my jeans revealed my bandaged knees. My chest was in a dull pain, like a big bruise had formed on my sternum. I lifted both hands to my face and felt medical tape here and there, specifically a strip over my nose. I dropped my hands looked at them again. They hurt, but they were clean. Cleaner than they had been after I’d been rolling on the ground, at least.

A hand rubbed my back. One of the teenagers. They were so kind. Why? By now they must have figured out that I had known what was coming and had done nothing about it. Why weren’t they mad? I bet they were mad. Just holding it back while we were in the presence of others. Sad, beaten up little girl - how would it look for them to be mad now? No, they’d wait and explode on me later. Shout, scream, maybe even hit. It was inevitable.

I closed my eyes, my lashes dampening. The rubbing felt nice.

“… So.” Sam said awkwardly, addressing the two adults in front of us.

Maggie’s heavy Australian accent carried no condensation, despite the significant age difference between us and her. “What’d they get you for?”

“Um, I bought a car… Turned out to be an alien robot. … Who knew?”

“You?” Mikaela asked.

“Caught something, maybe one of them, hacking into Air Force One.”

“Huh.” Sam muttered. No one seemed able to be surprised by anything anymore.

Glen spoke up. “Man, me, I was just watchin’ television. CNN. I shouldn’t even _be_ here.”

I saw Sam’s hand stretch forward for a shake out of my peripheral vision. “I’m Sam Witwicky.”

“Witwicky?” Maggie asked, sounding surprised. “You by any chance related to an old sea captain named Archibald?”

“Yeah. He was my great-great-grandfather. And a great man.”

As the introductions continued I remained silent, hoping I would not be noticed.

“And what about this sad child, huh?” Maggie asked, her voice softening a touch. “Whatever did she do to get in so much trouble?”

Sam sighed. “Well, she knows the future, I guess. Says this whole…situation, is a movie in another world.”

“… You’re kidding, right?”

“Maggie Madsen, not Margaret. The government got you to track the signal that hacked the base in Qatar. You’re _so_ smart, you make older people angry. Paid for college by modeling.” I spouted out facts in a monotone voice, not lifting my head. “Glen Whitmann. Only hacker in the world who could break the code. You live with your grandma and your cousin. Your grandma doesn’t like anyone on the carpet, especially police. Your cousin likes to play Dance Dance Revolution. You’re still a virgin.”

_Shut up._

“Sorry.” I added meekly, then shut up.

It was quiet for a long, long time.

“… Iris,” Sam finally broke the silence. “You’re scary.”

*

After a while, we reached the Hoover Dam. I lifted my head enough to see out the window. Normally I’d be excited about seeing this kind of thing, but everything in me just felt numb.

 _It sure is big._ Big enough to hide a world of secrets inside, if you’ll excuse the cheesy saying. I remembered a scene from the movie: a freezing, moaning Bumblebee, covered in a net, being wheeled into the dam. In my mind’s eye, I saw him strapped to a huge table, being shocked repeatedly. In pain and scared.

Squeezing shut my real eyes, I repeated one sentence over and over again in my head. _I’m sorry._

Eventually we were transferred from helicopter to SUV. We hadn’t been driving for long before the dam came into view. In the far distance, I could see a plaza carved into the side of the cliff. On it were two huge, bronze statues of angels. I wondered if it was true that their feet were shiny from people rubbing them for good luck, like in The Titan’s Curse. I also wondered if they were really animatronic guardians, like they were in the same book. Then I wondered if I’d have to say ‘please’ and tell them that I was ‘Zeus’s kid’ to get their help.

These thoughts should have amused me.

Right before we rolled up onto the dam, a government man who had been sitting in the front seat turned around. He took my arms, yanking me upwards and startling me. Before I could even think to fight back, I heard a small click.

Alarm bells started firing off in my head, making my heart rate go up again. I snatched back my hands and looked at them. They were now encircled with two steel bracelets, connected by a very short chain. Handcuffs.

The sight made my stomach drop, like it does on a descending airplane. I pulled at the bonds, ignoring the pain of metal cutting into my wounds.

“Iris!” I heard Sam say as I strained. “Stop! You’re hurt!”

“Take them off.” I squeaked, my breath becoming ragged. When no one responded, I turned to Mikaela with a new sense of urgency. I knew how good she was with handcuffs. “Mikaela, get them off of me!”

She didn’t move at first, looking at me with her confused, concerned eyes.

“I can’t do handcuffs!” I pleaded. Fear was in my voice, even I could hear that, and I was breaking into a cold sweat.

Even though she didn’t understand my fear, Mikaela finally listened. But as she reached forward to comply, the government man reached back and grabbed her arm. “Let me go,” the teen growled. “Or I’ll bite your hand again.”

Sure enough, the man’s hand was bandaged. But all he did was pull on her arm until his hand was out of reach of her teeth. “The child is to stay restrained. Direct orders.” He told her gruffly.

“Take ‘em off!” I repeated, turning to the man and begging, shaking the cuffs in front of me. I felt like I was going to throw up. “Please! Get ‘em off!”

Sam grabbed the man’s arm and tried to get him to release Mikaela. “Hey! We’re already stuck in here with you. She’s just a kid! Why does she need handcuffs?” he asked, pulling.

“Get ‘em offa me!” My voice rose to a new, frenzied high as my panic climbed. “Take ‘em off!”

“Can’t you see she’s scared!?” Maggie yelled, joining in the fray. “Take them off!”

Glen took a different approach. “Hey, calm down, little girl,” He tried to sound reassuring, but he was already perspiring with nervousness. “It’s just handcuffs.”

“Please!” I was screaming now. “I can’t do this! GET ‘EM OFF!”

With everyone pulling and yelling, the officer quickly became angry. “Fine!” he roared above the noise, letting go of Mikaela’s arm. “Take them off! But if she tries anything, they go right back on.”

I gulped back tears. “Mikaela,” I offered my hands to her, my voice reduced to a whimper. “Please.”

The teen wasted no time. She whipped out a bobby pin and set to work, but something was wrong. I saw it in the crease between her eyebrows. And it was taking a while. She muttered to herself, working harder.

Fear began to rise in my throat again. “Mikaela?” I asked tentatively.

She lifted her face, her expression simultaneously frantic and apologetic.

“Let me do it.” The government man barked, reaching into the back seat and yanking me painfully by the chain. He revealed a small key and drove it into the hole. But then he began to have trouble too. “Stupid cuffs!” he grunted. No matter how hard he tried, my bonds wouldn’t budge. Giving up, he dropped them.

I began to hyperventilate. “No, no no no,” I moaned. Tears clouded my eyes and horror choked me, making me dizzy as I realized there was no escape. I lifted my foot between my arms and pushed on the chain with it, crying out as the sharp steel cut into my already tender wrists. I ignored the pleas for me to calm down from Mikaela, Sam, Glen, and Maggie, and the shouts of frustration from the government men. Just hysterical terror.

As the SUV rolled to a stop, Mikaela was furiously undoing my seatbelt. When I’d been unbuckled, Sam shoved the door open and took my arms. “Come on,” he grunted as he quickly dragged me out into the open air.

Mad with panic, I rushed out of the vehicle and headed for the first hard object I saw: the wall that kept tourists safe from the height of the dam. I ran over and smashed the handcuffs down on the concrete, howling in pain at the sharp impact.

I felt the metal around my wrists fall away… Wait… No, they did not fall away. They…retracted. Like a living thing, snatching itself away.

What I saw when I looked down made the world stop. Glaring up at me, bright metal glinting in the sun, was Frenzy’s severed head. He chattered angrily, teetering around on his spidery legs. He wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings, and his legs slipped over the edge.

“No!” I gasped, reaching for the spazz-bot with both arms outstretched. Too late, I grabbed at the air where the Decepticon should have been.

Screaming like the freak he was, Frenzy fell off the side of the dam.

I leaned over the wall and helplessly watched him plummet.

Seeing me still, the teens joined me at the overlook. They hadn’t seen what the handcuffs really were - what I had released. Sam carefully took my right hand, looked at it, and sighed. “You’re bleeding again, but not much. Don’t need to change the bandages.” He was looking at me hard, even though I would not return the gaze. “Don’t do that to yourself, okay?”

Mikaela gently rubbed my back. She didn’t offer any words, just stroking my spine rhythmically, easing my breathing back into a normal pace.

I watched Frenzy go all the way down. He bounced against the concrete walls, almost the entire way, before hitting a pipeline and landing on the ground of the maintenance level.

 _Please,_ a hopeless prayer echoed through my otherwise-empty mind. _Let him be dead._

Frenzy did not care what I wanted. Far, far below, I saw the tiny dot scuttle away and into the top-secret facility.

My lungs emptied themselves of breath as I leaned forward until my head met the wall. _So, so useless._ I couldn’t even stop the spy from getting in. _Disgusting._ Back at square one. I had made no difference at all.

When I did not answer the teenagers, they did not push for a response. The two leaned over the wall, marveling at the height. Down the river, many other facilities were built into the high canyon cliffs. As Maggie and Glen joined us, Sam slapped the concrete experimentally. Solid as ever.

We didn’t have long to take in the scenery; the government goons grabbed and began ushering us along the dam, quickly and roughly. “Get your hands off me!” Mikaela snapped at the agent who kept pushing her forward. Sam was equally upset. “Don’t touch me!” I hated the grabbing and the shoving, but did not fight back this time. My numbness had started to fade, and I began to feel an emotion again: anger. The quicker we moved along with the story, the quicker we could get Bumblebee _out._

“Hey kid.” Simmons greeted Sam nonchalantly. The agent had been given a new, clean set of clothing, and now stood in front of us with his arms crossed smugly.

Just the sight of him made raised my anger to rage. On impulse I stepped forward, but my shoulder was grabbed in a vice-grip by one of the government men.

Simmons’s eyebrows shot up at me, even from behind his sunglasses. “Whoa, hey, I said I wanted handcuffs on the kid!”

“Where’s my car?” Sam demanded. Mikaela eyed the agent holding me and dared him to try anything.

“I think we got off to a bad start, huh?” Simmons asked, putting a ‘friendly’ hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You must be hungry. You want a latte? HoHo? Double venti macchiato?” He glanced down at me. “Popsicle? What do kids eat these days?”

“Where’s my car?” Sam repeated.

“Son,” another man in a suit and sunglasses joined us. The man held a metal briefcase handcuffed to his left wrist, which made my skin crawl. He was the guy in charge of Sector 7, oh what was his name? … Banacheck! Tom Banacheck. I liked him better than Simmons. He wasn’t so mean. “I need you to listen to me very carefully. Some really bad things have happened this past week. People have died. More people could be killed. We need to know everything you know, work together, to stop those things from happening.”

Sam nodded, but did not relax. “Okay. But first I’ll take my car, my parents - maybe you should write that down - get her dad outta jail,” He was talking about Mikaela now. “Oh, and her juive record. That’s gotta be gone. Like, forever. And this one,” I startled a bit to feel a hand on my head. “You gotta promise me you won’t hurt her. It’s the only way I’ll talk.”

“Agreed.” Banacheck replied. “However, as security is important, we may have to take some precautions.” He bent down to me. “Hello,” he said, being somewhat friendlier to me. “Do you mind telling me who you are?”

“You won’t find me in your data banks.” I replied glumly. “I’m not from here.”

Banacheck was silent for a moment. “Are you one of the aliens?” he asked passively.

I shook my head.

The man contemplated this for a moment, then he offered, “Would you mind if we made sure?” At my widening eyes, he straightened up to reassure the teens as well as me. “Just a few passive scans only. Nothing intrusive, no…dissection.” He bent back down to me. “Deal?” He offered his hand.

I gulped and looked up at the teens. “It’s your choice.” Sam told me. Mikaela said nothing, but she looked uncannily like a mother bear. No advice, just a clear message that I my decision would be backed.

Sucking in a deep breath, I turned around and shook the man’s hand. “Deal.”

As Banacheck released my hand, I noticed camouflaged bodies out of the corner of my eye. I looked up, and what I saw instantly lifted my heart. It was Lennox and Epps, just as I’d expected, but Fig and Donnelly were there too! How had they survived? Actually, it looked like a lot more of Lennox’s team had made it out of Qatar safely. Injured and grim-faced, but _alive._ That was a miracle in itself.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Banacheck straightened up and addressed the crowd. “Follow me. Time is of the essence.”

I listened to Mikaela thanking Sam and Simmons muttering to himself as we walked, but my mind was stuck on the soldiers. _They’re alive. They’re ALIVE!_

_Thank you!_

*

Banacheck stayed true to his word. I was not dissected, only scanned. Their beepers went crazy over me, but when I became alarmed I was told that this was because I had been in such close contact with the aliens. When they used a more thorough scan, they finally determined that I was indeed human.

We passed huge turbines as we descended into the bowels of the dam, the only truthful part about the structure. As Banacheck lead us past the main work area, Simmons began to unburden himself of some classified info. “Alright, here’s the situation.” he explained. “We appear to be facing war against a highly advanced technological civilization far superior to our own. You’ve all had direct contact with the NBEs-”

“Which, like it or not,” Banacheck added. “Makes you the world’s foremost experts on the…visitors. In this situation, age is of no consequence. It’s your individual experiences that are important and that interest us as a matter of national and world security.”

“NBEs?” Epps inquired.

“Non-Biological Extraterrestrials. Try and keep up with the acronyms.” Simmons responded.

The soldier seemed thoroughly offended. “Oh, like CQ?” He shot back. “Vector Delta, Niner-Alpha? _That_ kind of acronym?”

Surprisingly, Simmons seemed to realize that he overstepped. “Maybe.”

We approached a huge door. Like the kind you’d find in an airline hanger, only way, way deep underground.

“What you’re about to see is totally classified. Few people know about it and fewer get to experience in person.” Banacheck explained as the door began to rumble open “Don’t forget to breathe.”

The chamber we entered was _ginormous_. The object of our attention stood on a big, circular platform, fed by tubes that leaked that same, supercooled liquid. Somewhere along the way they transferred their poison to huge, metal arms connected themselves to the figure, spraying it endlessly with the evil gas. It hardened into blue-tinted ice that filled in the gaps of its armor, rooted its feet to the ground, and hung off protruding spikes in icicles. Rolling slowly in the most dramatic way, mist drifted down along that thing’s sharp frame to the ground.

That thing.

That **_thing._**

Commander of the Decepticons. Bigger than Optimus Prime. Evil enough to destroy millions of civilizations, including his own, in the wake of his destruction. Frozen immobile, but very much alive.

They were keeping the Hell Bringer in a giant refrigerator.

“Dear God.” Maggie murmured. This was all new to her and Glen.

Fig muttered “ **Demonio.”** under his breath.

Secretary of Defense John Keller, whom I had not noticed had joined us, breathed in horror. “What is this?”

Everyone else had stopped in awe and dread at the ominous figure, but only I could know what he was truly capable of. My head swam through the many memories of what was to come. How many lives would be lost when he escaped? How could I possibly hope change anything when I was working against _him?_

 _Oh…my God._ Even my thoughts whimpered in terror. _He’s going to kill us all._

“Hey,” I jumped as a strong hand held my shoulder. Slowly, reluctantly, I tore my gaze away from the beast and turned. Captain William Lennox stood behind me, gazing down with kind eyes. “You okay, kid?” He asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

My mouth flapped like a fish, trying to push some comprehensible sound through my throat. I pointed at the giant and heard a rumble behind my eyes. “He…”

“Hey,” Lennox’s tone turned comforting. He squatted down to my level, holding my arms carefully. “It’s gonna be okay.” He smiled and tried to lighten the mood. “I’m William Lennox, but my friends call me Wild Bill. What’s your name?”

I stared at him, surprised at his warmth. Then I remembered that he had a baby daughter at home who he’d never met. “Iris.” I replied meekly.

Lennox took my hand softly in his, careful of my bandages, and shook it. “Nice to meet you, Iris. You see my guys over there?” I followed his pointed finger to Epps, Fig, and Donnelly. The group was moving forward, so they did not notice us, but the soldiers stayed together. They strode not with confidence, more like toughness that could only come from hardship. Even from behind they looked like the noble military heroes pictured on billboards and commercials. The image of protection.

“We’re soldiers.” Lennox said, bringing my attention back to him. “We fight bad guys all the time. And we’re gonna do everything we can to keep you safe, alright?”

Guilt flooded me at the kindness of the man. He didn’t even know me, or what I’d done, or what I’d probably do to screw up the future. And yet here he was, calming me down, telling me they’d take care of me. _That was my job._

I nodded.

The soldier smiled, gave my arm an encouraging squeeze, and stood up again. We walked quickly to rejoin the group, which had gotten _closer_ to the monster while Banacheck explained theories on when and how he crashed here.

“We call it NBE 1.” Simmons was introducing as we caught up. Then he glanced at Epps. “Acronym.”

“I _got_ it.” The man snapped. I really didn’t think it was a good idea to start antagonizing the soldiers.

Sam spoke up. “Sir, I don’t mean to correct you on everything you think you know but…that’s Megatron. He’s the leader of the Decepticons.”

“It’s been in cryostasis since 1935.” Banacheck continued, again looking at Sam. “Archibald Witwicky made one of the greatest discoveries in the history of mankind.”

Simmons took up the narration. “Fact is, you’re looking at the source of the modern age. Microchips, lasers, spaceflight, cars, all reverse-engineered by studying it. _NBE 1_.” He got very close to Sam’s face, but the boy didn’t flinch. “That’s what we call it.”

“And you didn’t think that the United States military would need to know what you’re keeping a hostile alien robot frozen in the basement?” A severely frustrated Keller asked Banacheck.

“Until these events, we had no credible threat to national security.” The man replied slowly.

“Well you got one now!” Keller replied, shaking his head. I didn’t mind him much. He seemed to be one of the few people who had any common sense here. Plus, I liked how he pronounced robot ‘robutt’.

Lennox asked a good question. “So why Earth?” he asked.

Sam answered, “It’s the Allspark.”

“‘Allspark?’ What is that?” Keller asked, looking more and more annoyed at the different terminology everyone used.

“Well, yeah, they came here looking for some sort of cube-looking thing. And then Mister NBE 1 here, aka Megatron-,” Sam turned and met Simmons’s eyes. “That’s what they call him - who’s pretty much the harbinger of universal _death_ , wants to use the Cube to transform human technology, to take over the universe. That’s their plan.” Then he looked right down at me. “Right?”

I sighed. “Well, it wasn’t their first plan, but it is now.”

“Are you sure about that?” Simmons asked us in a new air of severity.

“Yeah.” Sam answered. He paused, looking straight at the government man. “You guys know where it is, don’t you?” Less of a question, more of a statement.

There was an awkward silence, only broken when Banacheck said, “Follow me.”

As he led us away from NBE 1, I turned around to look at Megatron one last time. He seemed to be following me with his eyes, unlit but certainly not unalive. I swore I could hear him breathing. _But they don’t breathe._ I shivered, and not from the temperature.

* * *

 

**_Yeah, I know. It’s a crappy chapter and a crappy place to end it. But hey, since it’s only part of the original that means the next one should be up soon yaaaay!_ **

**_How did I do writing Iris’s panic attack? I felt like it sucked but editing was getting me nowhere._ **

**_So! Review please! And don’t be too mad at meeeee!_ **


	11. Chapter 11

**_Okay, if you want to get to the story right now, skip right ahead down. Skip all the bolded & italicized script up here and get started. I won’t mind if you do. I’ve just got some things I need to get off my chest._ **

**_…_ **

**_You’re still here?_ **

**_Alright then. I guess I should explain why this chapter took so long. Well, you may not know this, but I just graduated. As of now, I never have to return to high school. Woohoo! Well, it wasn’t so ‘woohoo’ at first. Stress at the end of the year was really getting to me, and it brought out some…some issues that I may not have been addressing before._ **

**_At youth group I broke down one night. Couldn’t move, couldn’t talk, just cried. Many girls came to pray for me and eventually so did my youth group leader. I told him I’d been having some issues with being…happy. Little things that shouldn’t upset me would bring me into a mood all day. I didn’t have any ambition to get my school work done, and my outlook on the future was bleak, even though I was so close to the finish line. It wasn’t a new development either, starting when the stress started. And it wasn’t triggered by anything; I have a fantastic life with nothing to bring me down. I’d been dealing with it all year, just shoving it away, telling myself I was faking it for attention. That was the worst part; the things I’d say to myself. Put downs, slurs, condemnations, everything. Always in my head, telling me I wasn’t worth it. That I should just give up._ **

**_He got me to talk to my parents. They were very supportive, but very sad for me. Then they got me to a doctor, and now…_ **

**_I’m on pills for depression. There. I said it. Apparently it’s genetic on both sides of the family, both diagnosed and non._ **

**_So… I guess I don’t know why I told you all that. Maybe to make up an excuse for why this took so long, I don’t know._ **

**_It’s been better recently. No more high school, FOREVER, and I’ll be attending college in the fall to study a major I’m really interested in and have classes I really enjoy. I’m being helped out with tuition and my future looks bright. I have a new job now that I really enjoy: better hours, better pay, better boss, & not nearly so stressful. Now that all the grad parties have ended, I have a lot more time to enjoy the things I love._ **

**_… The thoughts linger though. They make it hard to have the ambition to do anything sometimes. Thankfully, I have plenty of supportive friends and family, including some who are currently struggling and have already overcome. That, and I’ve recently reached a spiritual breakthrough, which is extremely encouraging._ **

**_*Sigh* now that I’ve emptied my soul out to you, I’m done whining. Writing this chapter certainly did help, and I hope to update more often in the future. Enjoy._ **

* * *

 

“You’re about to see our crown jewel,” Simmons informed us as we entered a small observational deck carved right out of the rock. The Allspark itself sat in the center of the crudely cut, brightly lit cavern. Maintenance platforms webbed around it geometrically on various levels and little men in hard hats walked all along it.

Even though I knew what to expect, nothing could have prepared me for the view. You’ve all seen it I know, since you’ve seen the movie. But let me tell you, high definition didn’t even begin to do it justice.

I crossed my arms on the window sill and leaned my chin on them, ignoring Banacheck’s long, scientifical explanation about the artifact and how they hid it under four-football-fields of concrete. I knew it all anyway. Besides, the Cube was too beautiful to give anything else my attention.

“Wait,” Maggie spoke up. “Back up. You, you said the dam hides the cube’s energy… What kind, exactly?”

“Good question.” Banacheck replied. “I could give you a thick file to read through. There are more equations than words. Come, I’ll show you.”

The next place we went was barred by a thick steel door and guarded by a scientist in a blue vest and hard hat. Inside was a hodgepodge of a laboratory, from equipment so old it must have been used when Megatron had first been delivered here, to state-of-the-art tech that wouldn’t be on the market for years. Desks and boxes were shoved carelessly to the sides, and remnants of experiments passed lined the walls in forms of cables, wires, and control boxes. But far more interesting than any of that was a box in the center of the room. It was raised to about the height of a grown man’s chest on a steel pillar, and connected to the network of wires on the celling by cables. The box itself seemed to be made of glass, but must have been something stronger, and was lit from the inside by harsh, blue lights. Inside, what looked like a small drill protruded downwards from the top of the box, only it lacked the actual drill-bit.

“Please step inside, they have to lock us in.” Banacheck instructed as everyone filed into the room.

Figueroa didn’t seem pleased. “Why do they _have_ to lock us in?” he inquired.

“Bit of tricky science they do in here.” Simmons replied with a humorless grin. “You never know how things might develop. Could turn out to be a bad day.”

Not long after, the huge door swung slowly shut and was bolted from the outside with a heavy creak.

“Oh. Wow.” Glen breathed as he looked around the room.

Donnelly noticed a series of deep cashes in the steel wall, including a panel that had been torn open, out of which stuck a bush of shredded metal and wires. “Who did they have in here?” he asked in his Bostonian accent. “Freddy Krueger?”

“Oh no man. Freddy Krueger had four blades man, that’s only three. That’s Wolverine.” Glen made a slashing motion and noise with his hand, laughing. Not seeing the soldier’s unamused glare, the hacker looked over his shoulder at his fellow hacker, who looked down in shame. “Right? That was Wolverine!”

“That’s very funny.” Simmons replied, sounding serious but clearly sarcastic. He pointed to a sign on the wall that read ‘We have worked 322 safe days’, then back to the gashes. “Those happened three hundred and twenty- _three_ days ago. That was a _real_ bad day.” He nodded to one of the men in hardhats working nearby. “Charlie was a good man.” The man nodded back, and Glen gulped.

“Anybody have any advanced electromechanical devices?” Simmons continued. “Blackberry, key alarms, flash drive, cellphone?”

When no one responded, Banacheck walked up to Glen and confiscated his phone. “For essential demonstrational purposes.” He explained.

The programmer was not so eager to let go of his last electronic. “Demonstration purposes my ***!” he exclaimed. “Anything happens to that, I want every song that’s on it _replaced_ – and I’ve got a list!” Glen was interrupted by a worker handing him a pair of heavy-duty safety goggles before doing the same with the rest of us. “Hey, what are these for?”

“Oooo, Nokias are reeeal nasty.” Simmons muttered as he opened the door to the box. He turned on the phone and placed it carefully in the center of the box before slamming the door shut and sealing it. “You gotta respect the Japanese. They know the way _of the samurai_.” which was so ridiculous that, despite the circumstances, I had to choke back laughter.

“Nokia’s from Finland.” Maggie said softly to Keller, confused.

“Yes, but he’s…um…” Keller tried to reply, but ended up holding a finger to his mouth to shush any further questions of the man’s sanity. “He’s strange, he’s strange.”

“Goggles everyone, please?” Banacheck advised, and we all complied. Since they obviously didn’t carry child-sized goggles at a top-secret government facility, mine were rather loose fitting and I had to hold them tightly against my face. Once we were all settled, Banacheck and Simmons began flipping switches. The drill thing lowered itself until it lightly touched the center of the phone.

“We’re able to take the Cube radiation,” Simmons explained as the machine audibly powered up. “And funnel it into that box.”

Electric-blue light shot out from the drill, enveloping the phone in arcs of energy. It left bright, burning shapes in my vision even after it faded. The cellphone shook violently, suddenly blaring thrash metal music as it trembled. It emitted a sound that only I recognized and all at once sprang into another shape: a tiny robot, dancing on two widely-placed legs, with red eyes. It growled mechanically and rushed at the box faster than the eye could follow. Energy flashed when contact was made, making the robot stagger backwards before charging another wall.

“Mean little sucker, huh?” Simmons asked, pacing around as the thing continuously rammed the box, yelling as it did so.

“That thing is freaky!” Maggie exclaimed as one of the soldiers tapped the glass.

The S7 man was getting some sort of sick enjoyment out of the experience. “Kinda like the itty bitty Energizer Bunny from hell, huh?”

The once-cellphone stepped back and shook its head. It babbled something that sounded like Cybertronian, but in a more nonsensical way, then released a barrage of tiny bullets into the glass. Nothing made it through to the humans outside, but it continued its assault, firing a minuscule missile which detonated inside as it fired madly at anything that moved. Trembling, jerking, writhing, it threw itself again and again at the barrier, flailing crazily.

I studied the tiny robot carefully, jumping each time it attempted any sort of destruction. I had read many a fanfiction in which someone had saved or tried to save this tiny robot and it turned out to be nothing but a confused baby. I had also seen critiques of the movie wondering why the Allspark could only create evil robots. Watching the creature fling itself about in person, I finally understood something: Yes the Cube had the power to bring technology to life, but the humans were doing it in some raw, wrong way. The robot had no intelligence at all, without anything to guide the energy, and was born nuts. Nuts, bolts, and armored plating, but not in the good way. The life force inside it was powerful but aimless, and the thing was all but tearing itself to pieces in its insanity. It was like a zombie - or better yet, a rabid animal - too far gone to help, created wrong and doomed to destroy itself, but not without taking as many lives as it could along with it.

Simmons groaned. “It’s breaking the box.” he said to Banacheck, who then caused a lightning-strike of energy to flood the box, blinding us even through the goggles. A horrific, electronic squeal was heard. When the light cleared away, we could see that the cellphone transformer had flipped onto its back. It was smoking and sparking here and there. A distinct hole in the body was steaming and widening, melting away the frame and components of the body.

Despite my revelation, I still felt sad. Maybe not so much at its death, but at its creation. It was a Frankenstein-ish thing; it shouldn’t have been made. Creating such a deranged creature with no hope of sentience was cruel. At least it was out of its misery now.

One by one, we all removed our goggles in silence and handed them back to the workers.

“Well whaddya know: sabot rounds work. Even mini sabot rounds.” My hands balled into fists as I listened to Simmons. He slapped Lennox on the shoulder. “Nice work.”

“Don’t touch me.” The ranger replied, his tone not outwardly hostile, but no one missed his implication.

Glen suddenly rushed to the bolted door in a panic. “Okay, Grandma needs her insulin. I’m _out._ You hear me? Find somebody else to help you. Go ahead and shoot me if you want to, but I’m-”

The ground shook. Not enough to knock anyone off their feet, but we were God-knows how deep into the earth and concrete, and we could _still_ feel it. The lights in the laboratory flickered, buzzing as they tried to right themselves.

My blood ran cold in dread. I whispered under my breath, “He’s here.”

Epps looked upwards. “Those are concussion blasts. Could be terrorists…or something else.”

Keller bit his lower lip. “Terrorists could never get this close to the dam. Security is too tight. Has to be something more than that. Bigger than that.” He turned the two S7 officials. “Gentlemen, they know the Cube is here.”

Banacheck went over to an intercom and slammed the button. “Banacheck. What’s going on?”

A voice over the radio replied, “The NBE1 chamber has lost power-”

“What?!”

“And the backup generator is just not gonna cut it!”

Lennox rushed over and demanded, “Where is your security armory?”

The vault-door to the room opened. Simmons waved his arm for us to follow before sprinting out, the rest of us not far behind. We ran out of the rooms and onto the main stretch. It was filled with people - security, scientists, agents – all of them yelling and running in the same direction.

Banacheck stopped momentarily at the stairs to yell at the employees. “Get everyone to the NBE 1 chamber NOW!”

That was enough to make me skid to a halt. “NO!” I screamed back. “It’s too late! Get them OUTTA THERE!”

Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me along, snapping my vision around so that I could not tell if Banacheck had heard or heeded me.

“Move it move it! Let’s go!” Simmons shouted as we ran.

No one seemed to care that there were civilians in the midst - we all ended up in the same armory. Lennox’s camouflaged soldiers joined the black-armored ones that were already there, stocking huge artillery weapons loaded on camouflaged jeeps, machine guns thrown over their shoulders, grenades, handguns, and just about anything else you could think of.

“40 millimeter sabot rounds on that table!” Simmons yelled and pointed, directing the newly arrived soldiers as he stocked his own weaponry.

“Nellis Air Base is fifty miles away.” Keller said. “They can have air support here in ten minutes.”

“Everything’s still out.” Maggie reminded him, putting down her own phone she’d been trying.

“You wouldn’t get a signal down here even if they were working.” Glen pointed upwards. “All those football fields’ worth of concrete, remember?”

“I thought there might be embedded relays-”

The hackers’ discussion of possibilities, along with the soldiers’ preparations, was interrupted when the lights flickered again. Everyone stopped and watched as the lights came on again. There was enough silence to hear one round clink to the floor.

No one moved for a moment, then Sam walked up to Simmons as the agent continued loading what looked like a grenade launcher. Mikaela followed him and stood about halfway between them and Maggie, Glen, and I. “You gotta take me to my car.” Sam told him. When the man did not respond, the boy pressed on. “You hafta take me to my car; he’s gonna know what to do with the Cube.”

“Your car? It’s confiscated.” Simmons glanced up, never stopping, and shook his head.

Something in me snapped. I don’t know if the thought of Bumblebee ‘confiscated’ did it, or the impending sense of doom, or that my guilt was overriding everything I did. Whatever it was, I panicked. I either forgot or ignored that the soldiers would make everything turn out alright and did something really, really stupid.

As Sam and Simmons kept arguing, I broke into a sprint. Mikaela attempted to stop me, but the effort was only half-hearted. In a move that would’ve gone terribly wrong if attempted without adrenaline coursing through my system, I placed my hands on the table that held Simmons’s ammo and pushed myself up and atop. The agent saw me too late, and I slammed down and into him. I held myself up by his collar and screamed in his face, “TAKE US TO BUMBLEBEE **NOW!”**

Simmons’s surprise and my force – small, but backed by momentum and gravity – unbalanced him in my favor. I had caught him off guard and he didn’t have the coordination to throw me. The agent swore loudly as my force caused him to turn away from the table, stagger backwards, and fall to the floor.

Knuckles as white as my gritted teeth, I gripped the man’s shirt. I was crouched on his chest, his face inches from mine, staring hot-Energon-daggers into his eyes. My face was roasting, probably beet-red. I was angry. Angry at him. Angry at myself for just following the script while my friend suffered. But mostly angry at him.

The man was shocked. Furious too, but not the yelly-type. More like the stoic-type. _How **dare** this kid inconvenience me again, _ he seemed to think, and glared my daggers right back at me. Simmons had a good poker-face, but as I stared into his eyes I saw them shift a little. Maybe not afraid, but wary, like someone faced with a wild animal.

That was the sound of a machine gun being aimed at my head.

…

Did you hear that?

That was the sound of me not giving a crap.

Luckily, since I didn’t have enough sense to be afraid for myself, that’s when Lennox jumped in. The ranger whipped out his own handgun and pointed it at the black-armored man training the weapon at my skull. “Drop it.” He ordered.

Donnelly appeared and pointed a gun at the man’s head from behind. Epps and Figueroa fought off more S7 men, slamming the butts of their guns into their faces. Glen threw his hands in the air and Banacheck said, “Whoa whoa whoa!”

Simmons and I hadn’t moved. “Get off me, little girl.” He told me, his voice even but threatening. “There’s an alien war goin’ on and you’re gonna tackle me?”

A low, primitive growl escaped my throat. I started to do something – looking back on it, I don’t know what – but was interrupted.

“Iris,” Lennox said. I did not move, but I listened. “Why don’t you let me handle this?”

Ages ticked by as I sat silently. My lips unfolded their snarl and my eyes unfocused. His words made it through to me. Somehow, my anger began to ebb away, and I could think again.

I was tiny and weak. Lennox was big, strong, and possessed a weapon. And he would handle this.

Oh yes. He would handle this well.

Without so much as a final glare towards the agent, I slipped off his chest to the ground. I crawled away a few paces, to give Lennox some space, and made eye contact with the black-armored man who had his machine gun pointed at me. Only then did I feel a twinge of fear.

Mikaela swept in. She locked her arm around my waist and half-dragged half-carried me out of the fray. Once I was no longer under the web of weaponry, she deposited me over to Sam and spun to face the man with the gun. I could not see her face, but the black-armored soldier was intimidated enough to lower his weapon.

Sam crouched on the ground as he held me, grabbing my shoulders fiercely. “What were you _thinking?!_ ” he hissed, his eyes wide with fear.

I did not respond. I turned my head to watch the scene.

Lennox at first knelt down as if to help Simmons to his feet, but he instead grabbed the agent by the collar, yanked him upwards and slammed him into the side of a jeep. All arms sprung up again, the man who had aimed at me now aimed at the ranger, who again returned the favor.

Simmons was thoroughly pissed off at being thrown around so much. “I’m ordering you under S7 executive jurisdiction-”

“S7 don’t exist.” Epps interrupted, his own weapon pointed now.

“That’s right, and we don’t take orders from people who don’t exist.” Lennox added.

“I’m gonna count to five.”

“I’m gonna count to three.” Lennox took his gun away from the armored soldier and pointed it at the agent’s chest. There was sweat dripping down the ranger’s face as he held Simmons down. “Hm?”

“Simmons,” Keller called out from the side. No one had their gun pointed at him.

The S7 man turned his head at the defense secretary. “Yessir?”

Keller didn’t seem perturbed about the Mexican standoff at all. “I’d do what he says. Losing’s really not an option for these guys.”

“If the children are wrong,” Banacheck began slowly. “We could be unleashing hell.”

Donnelly let out a short, scornful laugh. “We’ve already been in hell.”

Simmons was silent, glancing back and forth between his superiors and the man with the gun at his chest. After a second, he gave a tiny nod. “Alright.” He said. “Okay. Hey, you wanna lay the fate of the world on the kid’s Camaro? That’s cool.”

Lennox jerked his gun away. Everyone lowered their weapons.

I jumped to my feet and snapped my head around at Banacheck. He would know where to go. My eyes were wide with urgency, and my body was tensed in preparation. “Hurry.” I told the government man, my voice cracking.

Banacheck still looked hesitant, but he seemed to understand what he had to do. “Let’s go!” he ordered, pivoting and waving his arm for the rest of us to follow as he started back down the hallway.

I charged after him, new adrenaline pumping through my system as I and the rest of the group ran. Hope made my feet lighter. _Hang on, Bumblebee,_ I thought as my throat tried to constrict. _We’re coming._

* * *

 

Groans of misery reached my ears long before the source reached my eyes. Through the thick steel doors I could hear him, and it drove me mad. He was suffering. He was suffering because of _me._

I overtook Banacheck as those doors opened, blowing past the guards at top speed. There he was, in the center of the room, frozen immobile by that evil gas. It was coming from a dozen or so black-armored soldiers’ back-mounted tanks. I could see them as no more than insects, attacking my friend and causing him pain. I threw myself at one of the men with the sprays. He was more surprised than anything and faltered his spray, but there were so many I didn’t know what to do. Sam, Banacheck, and Mikaela were rushing around trying to get them to stop too.

“Stop stop stop stop! Let him go let him go!”

“It’s okay, release it. My authority.”

“ _He’s_ not an ‘it’!”

But it wasn’t happening fast enough!

“STOP IT!” I yelled. “YOU’RE HURTING HIM!”

My hearing focused, funneling out the sounds of the ceasing of experiments. I could only hear one thing: a great hulk of shifting of metal behind me.

I froze. A single breath rattled out of my lungs. I felt like the victim in a horror movie, scared stiff to turn around but knowing I had to. So, working at a snail’s pace, I pivoted my body around towards the noise.

Bright blue optics locked with mine.

On reflex, I leapt back and gasped. Immediately my gaze fled from his eyes, quickly searched the rest of him, and retreated to the floor.

He had turned towards the sound of my voice. The dissipating mist had revealed numerous scorch marks all over his body. They seemed to collect around the chest area, where his spark would be. They had threatened the very essence of his being.

 **_Your_ ** _fault._

The things they had done to him. The pain they had caused him. _You could have stopped it all. You could have warned someone, or gotten him to leave,_ or…or _**something!**_ He had been terrified and unable to fight back, frozen immobile, strapped down, helpless to their gasses and shocks. Tested. Tortured. How _awful_ that must have been!

A fist of sadness tightened around my throat, squeezing moisture out of my eyes. I closed them and swallowed against it. Then shakes of fear shuddered out from my lungs to the rest of my body, claiming every muscle. My heart thudded erratically, and my face _burned._

What would he do to me?

_You deserve to die._

I had to run, but to him, or _from_ him? My soul felt like it was tearing itself out of my body to go to him, but my instincts told me that this was my absolute worst option. _You don’t deserve either. You deserve what’s coming. You are a low life who could have done something but did nothing. Pain, fear, and suffering happened because of you._ I had hurt my friend.

_Go meet your fate._

I staggered forward, grief pressing me into the ground like a physical thing.

 _Run!_ My body screamed, to the point where every inch of my skin was crawling in the opposite direction. **_Run!_**

 _You don’t deserve escape,_ my mind hissed.

“Bumblebee,” I choked out, and I thought, maybe, I could try to meet his eyes again. I opened my own, only to have my sight blurred out by tears of terror and heartache. So I shut them again. _I’d rather not see what’s coming._

As I reached the edge of the platform, fear crumpled my legs and I fell into a defensive position as a last resort. Face to the floor, arms over my head, I screamed:

“ **I’M SORRY!** ”

Silence. Whether the lack of sound was real or imagined, I could only hear my sobbing. I pressed my forehead into the floor as my whole body shook. “I could have done something.” I rasped through my jerky breaths. “This didn’t need to happen. I could have gotten you to run. We could have gotten away. You-” I gulped. “You didn’t have to get hurt. But you did, and it’s all my fault, and…” I hid my face in the floor and tried to disappear from the world. “I’m so sorry.”

I dreaded his response. I deserved everything that was coming. I waited.

Slowly, I heard the sound of shifting metal again. It came closer, closer –

I flinched as I was touched. Lungs sucked air in, muscles tightened, waiting for a… _squish._

The appendage withdrew at my cringe, jerking away like a reflex. There was a period of hesitation, then it came again, gripping firmly around my middle. I could feel the coolness of the metal through my clothes, but it wasn't as bad as before; he was getting warmer by the second.

Then _up!_ – My eyes flew open for a brief moment as the ground disappeared from under me, then clamped shut even tighter. I could feel the appendage lift me, rotate me upright, and bring me closer.

I had to know what was happening. I forced my eyes open and through the blur I saw his huge head right in front of me. I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes and forcefully wiped the tears away, using my hands to hide my heated face. But curiosity compelled me, for nothing was happening, and I peered through my fingers.

He looked tired, but that was quickly fading. The gas was gone now, and he was recovering before my eyes. Groggy pain made way for urgency. His bright blue optics darted over me, back and forth, again and again. Their gaze came dangerously close to my face and I covered my eyes again.

A metal thumb wedged its way between my elbow and my body, pushing it upwards and outwards, bringing my arm away from my face.

I gave up. I brought my hands down and rested them on the fingers around my middle, unconsciously trying to push myself away. My eyes watched his flit from my hands and chest, my own diving downwards every time his came back to my face. What was he doing?

“You’re hurt.”

I startled at the sudden sound of a voice preceded by static. Surprise fell directly into denial. “It’s nothing.” I squeaked, picking at the bandages on my hands.

"No," was the firm reply. "You got hurt *kzzt* trying to free me."“Fat lot of good it did.”

"But you tried."

“Not hard enough. I should’ve-”

"Hush."

My eyes flew upwards at the gentle tone he’d picked, and I was shocked to see that gentleness reflected in his eyes.

"You did what you could *kzzt* No sense worrying about it now *kzzt* I’m just glad you’re okay."

...

_He…_

_I…_

… Warmth started in my chest. It worked its way through my nervous system, warming my body to the tips of my fingers and toes, like the first sip of hot cocoa after playing outside in the snow. My cheeks twitched, aching with my effort to keep them from moving. But… I didn’t want to. So… I didn’t, and my face gave way to... a smile.

My ears roared as my eyes filled with tears of a new kind. I didn’t even realize they were there until I tasted their salty trail on my lips.

Bumblebee’s head tilted a bit. Curiosity and concern. "What's wrong with your eyes?" he asked.

“Nothing,” I replied, wiping away my tears with my arm. “I’m fine.”

We then both became very aware of the situation. I looked around and found that my little soap opera had quite the audience. The S7 men had lowered their gas nozzles, but the soldiers were armed and ready. Good God, they were all _staring._ My face started burning again.

“You okay?” Sam asked Bumblebee from below. “They didn’t hurt you, right?”

Bumblebee looked back at the boy as his battle bask slid down over his face. What was left of his voice ground out four harsh words: “Yes. They. Hurt. Me.” The hand that held me drew quickly in to the opposite shoulder and opened. I took my cue and scrambled aboard. I was quite comfortable up there, and even found an outthrust spike of armor to wedge my lap under, almost like the bars in a rollercoaster car.

This came in handy when Bee thrust himself up on to one arm and activated his cannon on the other, the one I sat above. A noise that sounded dangerously like a snarl came from the Autobot’s gears. He twisted around, pointing his whirring cannon in every direction.

The humans were all frozen, and for good reason. Giant alien robot with extremely powerful weapons that you tortured and was now _angry_ ; I’d be pissing myself too.

“Listen to me.” Sam tried to grab back the Autobot’s attention. “The Cube is here and the Decepticons are coming.”

It worked. Bee sat up on his berth. He continued pointing his cannon around, specifically at the armed soldiers.

“No no, don’t worry about them.” Sam put his hand out behind them to the soldiers. “They’re okay. Right?”

Up on his feet now, I clung on as Bumblebee still aimed his firepower every which-way.

The boy kept coaxing. “They’re not gonna hurt you.” He turned to the people behind him. “Just back up a little bit. He’s friendly, he’s fine.”

I felt like I wasn’t helping enough, so I said softly enough for only the Autobot to hear: “You can trust the ones in cammo.”

Still hesitant, Bee’s mask went back up. He was beginning to calm down. I couldn’t blame his anxiousness. I don’t know if I’d be able to say I wouldn’t have shot the S7 people if I was in his place.

“Put the guns away, they’re not gonna hurt you.” Same beckoned forward. “Now come with me, we’re gonna take you to the Allspark.”

Bee was off like a rocket, charging towards the exit door. Me? Hanging on for dear life.Sector 7 was beginning to fall apart. Plaster and paneling were falling, supports

were crumbling, and lights were fusing out. At first I thought it was the force of Bee’s feet hitting the ground that was causing it. _No, that can’t be it._ It seemed to be coming from above… Those were fresh shocks. Coming from the outside.

While I could grasp the severity of the situation, I wasn’t _quite_ as worried as I maybe should have been. I was riding on an Autobot’s shoulder after all. I’d only dreamt about such things up until recently, and even after I switched worlds I wouldn’t have expected it to become reality. But this was the second time I’d been placed on a giant alien robot’s shoulder. And I didn’t _have_ to be up there. Bee could have put me down to run with the other humans, but he didn’t. He kept me there. Why? I didn’t know. But I wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Not where I was. Far off the ground below, wind rushing past my face, and with just enough danger to get my heart pumping… This was _fun!_

I looked down over my, over his shoulder, at the humans below. There was a growing crowd of them, all struggling to keep up. I picked out Mikaela from the crowd. She was one of the humans at the front of the pack. Her attention was trained on us, so I caught her eyes easily. And when I did, I smiled. _I can’t believe I’m doing this!_

Mikaela seemed to receive my message; she smiled right back.

Wow, they weren’t really _leading_ him, were they? I turned back around. “Bee!” I called just loud enough to be heard over his thundering footsteps. “How do you know where it is?”

"My Spidey-senses are tingling!" was his answer.

I threw back my head and laughed.

* * *

 

Getting the humans into the Cube chamber was easy. Getting the alien in there with it was the hard part. Nobody wanted to give up the huge, powerful-thingy to the other huge, powerful-thingy. There was also a squabble over whether or not I should be where I was. Keller, the teens, the soldiers, the hackers; they all wanted me to come down. Thought it was too dangerous to be so close to the Cube.

Surprisingly enough, it was Simmons who voiced the defense. “The Cube has never had an effect on anything organic.” He explained. “It ignores anything and everything native to this carbon-based planet. Let the kid stay up there, I say.” He looked up at me. “I certainly wouldn’t protest to seeing it from that perspective.”

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. But Simmons’ claim was backed by all the other scientists, many who claimed studying the Cube as their life’s work. And the consensus was that I could stay.

 _Boom!_ Another explosion shook the chamber. Rocks and dust crumbled from the more-raw Allspark room. “Do you alien thing fast, hombre grande,” Figueroa shouted up to Bee as we approached the Cube. “I don’t like enclosed spaces. Remind me too much of coffins.”

When Bee reached the Allspark, for a moment he just stopped and stared. Both of us actually, but it meant more to someone who had been created by it than a simple bystander. What was it like for him? Like a human approaching God, or a sentient laptop being offered a battery that would never run down? I didn’t ask. But to me, it looked something like this:

The Cube was the size of a building, and it sat imperfectly on its corner, still imbedded in the rock a bit. The glyphs covering it were all so different that each could have been a different language. One glyph here looked like Chinese calligraphy, another there resembled a circular star chart. Patterns that could have been scratches or spotted stains overlapped each other, and one strait line sliced off a corner like a single turnable edge on an abstract Rubik’s cube. It wasn’t completely steel-gray in color, like it often looked in the movie. Rather, it was wreathed in natural streams of rust reds, copper greens, and bruise purples - rimming the glyphs like a watercolor painting. But it didn’t look rusty, like an old nail. More like an agate, interlaid with colors that wove around without rhyme or reason, giving something strictly mechanic an organic lacing.

 _Hi,_ I thought… _towards_ the Cube? I don’t really know how to explain it. Just sort of projecting my thoughts forward. _I’m Iris._ _I’m not from here, just like you. But I come from a place that knows what will happen here._ Memories of what was to come rushed through my head. All-out war in the streets. _People are going to die. Not just humans, Cybertronians too. Autobots._ I remembered an impending death. _Jazz. I don’t want him to die._ I was silent for a moment. I looked down at the Autobot insignia around my neck. _But…do you see this?_ I grabbed the symbol and held it slightly outwards. _I’m with the Autobots, too. I don’t want Jazz, or anyone, to die. I know I can’t do much, but…_ I let the necklace drop, thudding against my chest. _I’ll do everything I can to make it right._

As Bumblebee began to reach out for the Cube, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I knew this scene by heart, but some part of me still wondered: _What’s going to happen?_

Light.

_Pain._

**Nothing.**

* * *

 

**_HOLD YOUR FIRE! IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!_ **

**_I’m not going to explain that statement any further._ **

**_Btw, yesterday was a mOMENTOUS day isn’t it?! If you’re an American like me, at least. Homosexual marriage has been declared legal by congress in all 50 states! What a reason to celebrate! I’m so happy for the people all over the country who now can (or will soon be able to) marry in peace. What a time to be alive. I’ll be telling my children and my grandchildren about that day._ **

**_Well that’s all I’ve got for now. Sorry for the cliffhanger ending, AGAIN, but I hope you liked it. I have a new laptop now, so hopefully I’ll be able to update more often (never heard that one before.) Be ready; Iris has quite the storm coming._ **

**_Wish us luck, guys._ **


	12. Chapter 12

_**I wasn't going to upload this chapter just yet because I wanted to see how it would balance out with the next one lengthwise. But I guess I decided I like it just the way it is, so sorry if the chapter after this is a bit shorter, I haven't finished it yet but it just may turn out that way.** _

_**I mulled over this a bunch, and I'm (pretty?) happy with how it turned out? So it it's not up to your standards, I don't really know what to tell ya so I'll just apologize in advance.  
** _

_**Okay, better just get it started.** _

* * *

 

"Is the Cube okay?"

"Yes, it's wearing its seatbelt. How about her?"

"She's strapped in too. He wouldn't have it any other way."

"You know what I mean."

"… Gawd, I wish I knew."

My eyes rolled open. Everything was blurry. I shut them again. I felt a mechanical rumbling beneath me. It was soothing. I tried again. I squeezed my eyes before opening them once more. I blinked and blinked and blinked until I could focus. Road. Window. Roof. Car.

Bee.

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs, and let it out. I felt better.

"She's awake!" Sam's voice.

I was feeling better by the second. I thought maybe I could lift my head. I did.

A sudden tightening around my body across my chest and lap. I lifted my hands in response to where I felt the pressure applied. Seatbelt. The squeeze felt fierce, protective.

I got the message. I clutched back at the seatbelt best I could and ducked my head. I felt safe, and thankful. I sat still and just breathed as I remembered.

They were watching me. I lifted my head, saw Sam in the passenger seat and Mikaela leaning forward from the back. I was in the driver's seat?

"Why am I driving?" were my first words. Probably not the best choice. But at the same time, I remembered: _The Cube._ Where was it? I turned around to find it next to Mikaela in the back.

"We wanted to keep it away from you." Mikaela found her words.

 _What? Why?_ "What happened?" I asked, turning back to the front.

Sam and Mikaela looked at me with wide eyes, then at each other, then back at me. "The Cube…" The boy tried. "It… _shocked_ you."

… This did not compute in my brain. "But…I'm organic." I thought aloud. "They said it wouldn't hurt-"

Mikaela reached forward. She pushed back the tight seatbelt around my lap and pulled something out of my pants pocket. It was metal. It was on a chain. It had a face.

My Autobot necklace.

"We think," she began, handing the emblem to me. "It saw your necklace and…got confused."

The necklace wasn't even charred. It was as shiny as ever. Confused? No, that was me. "And I'm…okay?"

"Somehow," Mikaela replied, nodding downwards towards me. "But it did burn you."

I tilted my head downwards and felt a stiffness in my chest. It was hard to tuck my chin all the way down, but I saw that my upper chest had been heavily bandaged. I lifted my hands to feel what I couldn't see, and I felt the bandages stretch across my whole collarbone. Strangely enough, I wasn't in pain. "It doesn't hurt." I told them.

"That's bad." Sam replied. "Third degree burns are the worst kind. They kill all your nerve endings."

"Then why am I not in a hospital?" I asked. This was sounding pretty serious.

The teens looked at each other again. "That's the weird part." Sam replied. "Other than the actual burn, you're fine."

I didn't understand. "What?"

"There should be extensive damage." Sam ticked off on his fingers. "Difficulty breathing, loss of fluids, muscle and bone damage, _heart stopping._ Iris, you were _electrocuted!_ By all rights you should be _dead."_

"Stop." Mikaela took Sam's shoulder in a vice grip. "That's enough." She turned back to me, pausing to let me catch my breath. "They gave you a tetanus shot, just in case, but we were running out of time. They checked you over best they could with the time they had and didn't find anything. We had to get going."

 _That's right,_ I remembered with a shudder. "Megatron." Oh God, this was real now. The hunt had begun. _By all rights, I_ _ **should**_ _be dead._ I gripped the seatbelt again, wishing it'd hold me tighter.

It did.

I looked out the window. The rising sun was shining from the other side of the car, but it lit up the whole valley. Being from Minnesota, I'd never seen a desert in real life. The ones I'd seen most in media had rising dunes of sand, but this one was largely flat, rocky, and full of shrubbery. Here and there in the distance were huge, jagged rock formations jutted out into the sky, begging to be climbed like nothing I'd ever seen. They were beautiful in the golden light of sunrise.

Further up the road there was a glint; something shiny reflecting the sun. I leaned forward and squinted against the light. Through the heat rising in waves from the concrete, I picked out the wiggly images of four vehicles drifting in and out of the opposite lane.

A grin broke onto my face. Full of newfound energy, I tugged at the seatbelt. "Come on," I muttered, giving a few desperate jerks. They were getting closer. "I want to see them!"

Bee complied. When I felt the seatbelt slacken, I swept my legs under me into a kneeling position. I then proceeded to stick my entire upper half out the open driver's window. Wind buffeted my hair and my cheeks, roaring in my ears and making my eyes water. But God, it felt great.

I flung my arms outwards, leaning against the sill of the window, and began waving like a madwoman. "Hey!" I yelled, my smile stretched further by the wind. "Heyyyyyyyyyyy!"

The blast of Optimus's horn hit by ears and I broke into elated laughter. They were here! Everyone was alright!

When we met in the middle, Optimus hit his brakes. He swung around after the trail of soldiers had passed and pulled a tire-squealing U-y to follow. I figured Jazz, Ironhide, and Ratchet would fall in behind, but the silver flash from behind caught my eye. The Solstice raced up beside us, pulling ahead just a tad.

"HI JAZZ!" I cupped one hand around my mouth and waved wildly with the other, utterly delighted when his side-view mirror twisted up and around to flash an automated wave.

My seatbelt tugged at my shoulder again, so I slipped back inside. I felt Bee accelerate beneath me. He came into the lead again, and the two sports cars repeated their racing jostle. It was an exchange between the two Autobots. It said, 'Good to have you back.'

Proud and so, so happy to see my Autobots again, (When did I start thinking of them as _my_ Autobots?) I slipped my necklace back over my head. I barely felt it thump back into place on my bandaged chest

Civilian cars joined the train of soldiers and aliens as the barren, desert road joined a major highway, so I guess I wasn't surprised when I heard sirens.

Wait.

_Sirens!_

I whirled around to see Barricade leading a… Geez, I never knew what it was. A huge mining truck with a _claw thing_. It was Bonecrusher, and he was gaining fast. That was all that mattered.

Cars were swerving out of the way at the police sirens, but not all of them.

"Move," I said aloud to them. "Move!"

My breath caught in my lungs as a car was hit out of the way and a minivan crushed against the rails. Then the Decepticon picked up another car with its claw, tossing it into the air. The inhabited vehicle smashed down a little ways ahead on its roof, soon crushed by another unfortunate car landing on top.

I screamed. Bee tightened my seatbelt again as he accelerated, but I remained turned around, clutching the seat and watching.

Optimus and Ironhide dropped back to block off the incomers, but Bonecrusher was becoming impatient. Without decelerating, the Decepticon dug himself into the concrete and flipped to his true form with a roar.

Cover now blown, the Prime too transformed on the highway. He got to his feet quickly and leapt to avoid incoming traffic as he slowed down and turned to face the threat.

 _Here he comes._ Bonecrusher moved like a skater down the highway. On his way to Optimus, he sliced _clean through_ a city bus. Fire blew from it as it was sliced in half, a few flames sticking to the Decepticon as he rushed to meet his foe.

My blood ran cold. These were no longer Michael Bay special effects, these were _people._ People were _dying!_ I watched in horror as the two titans slammed into each other, knocking them both off the bridge and disappearing below.

I knew Optimus would win, but that didn't seem to help at the moment. I pressed my face into the back of my seat, trying to keep from hyperventilating. The leather echoed the sound of my breath back to me. It was ragged and panicked. There was already so much death, and we hadn't even gotten to main fight yet!

As we rolled into the city, Lennox's vehicle came to a stop at a local pawnshop. People were milling around the shopping center wondering at the weird mix of civilian and military vehicles. Too many people. I had to take action.

"Gimme a second to find an old radio!" Lennox yelled at us in the Camaro. "We need to be able to relay our position."

"Len-!" "What if no one's been able to call out your air strike?" I tried, but was interrupted by Sam.

"Hey-!" "Well, that would suck." Lennox almost grinned and saw me. "Good to see you up, kid."

"Wait-!" "Shouldn't we keep going toward the air force base on the other side of the city?" Mikaela this time.

"Yes-!" "Not good tactics to split up, miss. Not here. Please, just a minute."

Before I could get another word in edgewise, Lennox was gone. I let out a groan and hit my head against the steering wheel in frustration. Whether the honk that followed was caused by me or Bumblebee, I didn't know. "Sorry, Bee," I apologized as I undid my seatbelt.

"What're you doing?" Sam asked as I pushed open my door.

"I gotta do something!" I shouted back as I ran around the front, looking for the next person in charge. "Fig! Jorge Figueroa!"

The Chief Warrant Officer turned at the sound of his name. "Niñita, you should be back in the car-" he started.

"We gotta clear the area!" It was my turn to do the interrupting. "There's way too many people in danger!"

"Just hang on," he replied. "We're gonna get out of the city and then-"

"NO!" I yelled. "We won't make it out of the city!"

Fig paused. "What do you mean?"

I cursed in my head. I didn't have time for this. "Look, I know what's going to happen, alright? You gotta trust me on this!"

He shook his head. "Kid, I don't what you're getting at. We'll be out of here in a few minutes, so why don't you-"

"EPPS HAS DAUGHTERS!" I exploded. "THEY LIKE MY LITTLE PONY! LENNOX HAS A BABY GIRL AT HOME NAMED ANNABELLE WHO HE'S NEVER HELD! YOUR MOMMA MAKES ALIGATOR AND IT TASTES GOOD, BUT EPPS IS NEVER GOING THERE! DONNELLY COULD HAVE DIED IN THE DESERT! YOU TOO! YOU FOUGHT A GIANT SCORPION! HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?!" I sucked in breath and my lowered volume to a more meaningful pitch. "I'm from a world where this is all a movie. And in this movie, tons of people die because there's _a big fight in the city!_ I don't want that to happen, so you have to LISTEN TO ME!"

The soldiers had gone silent at my outburst, the four I had mentioned especially. Donnelly's eyes were wide, and I got the feeling that he hadn't escaped Scorponok by much. Even Lennox looked over from the door of the pawn shop, where he'd been fighting with the woman inside. Wide eyes, set jaws; my message had made it through.

"That's my girl," the radio crackled from inside the Camaro. The voice he had chosen was full of pride.

On the outside my chest swelled and my back straitened, but on the inside I was melting and grinning like mad.

Fig mulled this over in his head for milliseconds, then he called over his shoulder, "Don! Find the local law enforcement! Get them to set a perimeter around the main route through the city. See if they can evac the local buildings, or get set on natural disaster protocols."

"How?" I asked. "Isn't everything still out?"

"Just satellite and landlines. Radios still working. That's how we got the word out, remember?" He swatted my shoulder. "Nice insight, kid. Gracias."

I nodded and rushed back to the car. Bee popped open his door and I leapt inside.

"Hey," Sam said as I buckled in. I looked up at the seriousness of his tone. The boy paused, eyes shifty. "You said there's going to be a fight?"

 _There goes that,_ I sighed inwardly. No use keeping it a secret anymore. "Yes," I replied. "But you're going to be fine. Transformers always has a happy ending." I looked into the back seat to include Mikaela. "Just, go with your gut. You can do this." I ended the conversation there, turning back to the front. _I just don't know if_ _ **I**_ _can._

We were running out of time, but Lennox's struggle with the pawn shop owner gave Donnelly time to find a cop. I didn't see this happen, but soon enough I heard the sound of sirens. I had to tell myself not to be afraid; _Most of them aren't Barricade._ Then finally, Lennox came rushing out of the shop, short wave radios in hand. "Come on, let's go! Mount up!" he yelled, and we all started moving again. Soon enough, the sources of the sirens became visible. Black and white vehicles zoomed in from side streets, blocking traffic from getting to the main way. Then their occupants rushed into the nearby buildings to warn the people inside. I held my breath and examined each police car I saw. Thankfully, I didn't see any Mustangs.

At my last home in Minnesota, I'd lived near a military base. I could easily distinguish the sound of thunder from the sound of a fighter jet approaching. I heard a noise now, and it was not about to rain in the desert. I looked up and out the window as the rumble of the F-22 became a roar. _Zip!_ There it went, the sound of its powerful engines pounding and echoing off the skyscrapers. Quickly, everyone pulled to stops in the middle of the road. It was thankfully empty of other running cars; the police had done their job.

"Air Force has arrived! Pop smoke!" Lennox ordered as everyone exited their vehicles. The green fog that began to surround us unnerved me. It was too much like the freezing gas.

Wait. _Green smoke._

_You did it_ _**again!** _

It was too late to tell the humans; they couldn't do anything about it now. But I knew who could. I ran to the black pickup and skidded to a stop just short of the grille. "Ironhide! It's not the Air Force! It's not even humans!"

The battle-ready Autobot's response was immediate. As soon as his head was free of his transforming bulk, he shouted, "IT'S STARSCREAM!"

Bee too transformed, and I could not be more thankful for the lack of the sound of screams in the air as the Autobots got up.

"Ratchet! Jazz! Flanking positions! Back up! Take cover!" the weapons specialist ordered the Autobots and then the humans. "Bumblebee!" He and Bee each took a side of the nearby Furby delivery truck (I never understood why that was there.)

"No no no no," Lennox yelled as he realized what was going on. "MOVE!"

Someone yanked me around towards the back. There was lots of screaming and yelling from both Ironhide and the soldiers. Jazz and Ratchet had pulled forward and arrowed themselves into a protective V, pointing in the direction of the next suspected attack, and Lennox was waving his men towards the barricade. The teens joined the soldiers behind the Autobots, I with them.

This was bad. Really bad. As Ironhide and Bee continued lifting the truck into the air and angling it outwards, I began running the movie through my head again. What was going to be the next bad thing to happen? Pedestrians, Starscream, then…

Oh _no._

"INCOMMING!" Ironhide yelled.

I jumped up and screamed, "BUMBLEBEE!"

Just as the missile was about to hit the truck, I was pulled back down.

BOOM!

The force of the blast knocked me over. My ears rang and my head spun. I tried to take a deep breath but came up coughing. I forced my eyes open. They stung. I squeezed them shut again until they started watering like mad. There was ash and rubble everywhere. The soldiers and the teenagers were covered in it. Sam and Mikaela reached for each other's hands. Smoke thickened the air, making it hard to see your surroundings.

"Anyone hurt? Everyone okay?" one of the soldiers was yelling.

I reached up and grabbed the first solid object I could find, Jazz's side mirror. Rubbing my eyes and coughing some more, I got to my feet and tried to look through the smoke. Where was he? "Bee?"

A low, mechanical groan, off to my left.

My eyes widened. "Bee!" I yelled, ending in a hacking fit. I stumbled around debris towards the noise. He was close. Then, through the dust, I saw him thrown back against a truck. The vehicle's trailer was completely demolished, but Bumblebee wasn't much better.

His legs were _gone,_ everything below the knee. They ended in twisted, smoking, stumps. His feet? Disconnected, thrown off to the side by the blast.

"No," I whimpered as my friend fell over onto his front. He tried to rise, as if he thought he could still manage, but fell down onto his hands and knees again. "This wasn't…I…"

_What did you do?_

"I… I didn't-!"

_What did you_ _**do?!** _

More tears in my eyes.

"Bumblebee? No. Your legs!" Sam exclaimed. He and Mikaela had gotten up and seen him too. "Your legs." He turned to me for a moment, and my blood ran cold.

"Bee!" Jazz hurriedly transformed and came over. "Aw, man! Ratchet!"

"This is all my fault," I mumbled as Sam shouted desperate encouragements to Bumblebee, who was still trying to get up. My hands gripped at my hair and pulled. "It didn't have to." I blubbered silently. "Why can't I change anything?"

Hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Mikaela, who had tears in her eyes too. Her hand slipped down my arm into mine and we walked over to Sam together. She was biting her lip as she grabbed the boys arm, holding him back. Sam's dusty cheeks were streaked with tear trails. Mikaela's silent gesture said everything: It's no use.

KRACK!

We turned at the sound of another explosion. Further down the street was a tank. _Brawl._ He released a few more detonating rounds into the rubble where the soldiers hid before advancing. Paying no heed to anything in his way, one of his treds climbed up an unlucky car and crushed it like a trash compactor.

"GET DOWN!" Jazz yelled. He jumped and transformed midair, speeding down the street towards the Decepticon. Ratchet, who had been on his way over to us, also saw the threat and diverted to follow.

The soldiers sprang into action. "Move out! Let's go!" Lennox ordered, soldiers and S7 men alike grabbing their weapons and moving into position. The battle had begun.

Sam rushed back to Bumblebee as Mikaela held back. I watched her find the tow truck with her eyes before running off. She was more than capable on her own. The boy was sitting down behind a pile of rubble, in front of the crawling Autobot. "I'm not gonna leave you." He told him.

Bee reached back and pulled out the Cube from the wreckage. With a nod, he gave it to Sam.

The boy looked at the Cube, held in both hands, and then at me. Then Bee looked at me.

I looked at them both. Ashamed, sad, and afraid.

Bumblebee and I locked eyes. His seemed to plead. This triggered a memory. I remembered the movie, and what was about to happen. I looked at Bee's legs once more, then back at his face. New tears were forming. "I'm sorry." I told him quietly. Then I set my jaw, a new emotion burning through my body like liquid fire. Anger. "It won't happen again."

Without looking back once, I pivoted and ran in Brawl's direction. I ignored Sam's screams and Bee's wordless wails to come back. I couldn't do nothing. Not again. I would follow the script no more.

Whiz!

That was a missile, fired from Brawn, zooming over my head. I couldn't understand why he was firing in my direction, until I heard from behind, "GET DOWN!"

I dropped into a crouch and spun, just in time to see Ironhide transforming. Before he could even get to his feet, two more missiles flew inches above. Ironhide launched himself into the air with his hands, narrowly missing the incoming rockets. When his body was completely upside down, he fired both cannons into the concrete, giving his huge bulk just enough air to miss another. He landed on his feet so close to my tiny body that the concrete cracked beneath me. Again he leapt upwards, tucking and rolling over me in an arc that I just had to watch. Just before his shoulders hit the ground, our eyes met. I couldn't see much in his bright blue eyes during that split second, but in his battle hardened face, I did see urgency. All this happened in seconds.

"GET OUT OF HERE! _NOW!_ " Ironhide roared before running turning back towards the battle.

I'll say it: Ironhide scared me. He was big, loud, dangerous, and knew what he was doing a heck of a lot more than I did. So for a moment I didn't move, I just watched the battle.

Silver caught my eye. Jazz rounded the corner in vehicle form, then sprang into action. In one smooth move, he flipped into the air and landed on the tank. "Come on, Decepticon punk!" He grabbed the main cannon and yanked, pulling it off its mark and sending the missile harmlessly away. When Brawl transformed into bipedal mode, Jazz perched on top and kicked one of the Decepticon's shoulder-mounted missile holster, tearing it off his body. Brawl snarled and grabbed the Autobot off his back. In one throw, the tank sent Jazz sailing into the side of a building.

That's right. I was doing this for _him._ Jazz had to live. He could do so much more than me.

Shaking, I pushed myself to my feet again and ran.

Ironhide corkscrewed through the air, evading two more missiles before landing again with a guttural roar. The three Autobots came charging in all at once: Ironhide gave the Decepticon a taste of his own medicine, as did Jazz. Even the peaceful medic did an aerodynamic flip over the tank brandishing his buzz saw and successfully chopping off one of Brawl's arms.

It was downright awe-inspiring to watch the Autobots fight. They gave me the strength to forge ahead.

"Concentrate your fire!" I ducked into more debris as I heard Lennox yell, lest someone else try to stop me. The soldiers released their own firepower, and the combined effort of humans and Autobots finally sent Brawl to the ground.

There was a great thundering overhead. Like a fighter jet, but…different. I just caught a glimpse of the source before it crashed down into an alley behind the current battle. Brawl's barely decipherable growl confirmed my worst fears.

Megatron came out from around the corner.

Everything in my body cried for me to fall into a puddle of terror, but my feet started forward again. Do you know what that's like? Running strait towards the thing of nightmares? Not even the kind of nightmares where the boogieman is in your closet. More like when there's something _huge_ , like Godzilla height, thundering ominously around. You daren't even look the monster in the face, you just try to run and hide, even though you know its eyes are glowering down on you. And I _had_ had nightmares about Megatron. I'd been terrified of him like any child of any movie monster. But now he was _real._ He was _here._

And I was going to face him.

"It's Megatron! Retreat! MOVE! Fall back!" Ratchet called, but someone didn't listen. The King of Careful himself, Jazz, stood his ground and fired directly at the Hell Bringer.

Time was running out. _Jesus!_ I prayed as I pushed my body into a sprint. _Daddy!_ The pains at my sides drove into me like spears, my lungs burning my upper body with each scorching breath. _Please!_ My body screamed for me to stop. _I CAN'T LET HIM DIE!_

My heartbeat didn't even feel like a heartbeat anymore. As I threw everything I had, everything I was into my run, I began to feel an insatiable _hunger_. This instinct, this _force_ drove me further, past the limitations of my own body, and I ran faster than I ever had before. Everything _burned._ I still didn't know what to do; I had no weapons, and I was too small to be noticed. Megatron wouldn't so much ignore me as he wouldn't even realize I was there, truly like an insect. But _that didn't matter._ I _had_ to stop this. _Now._

"Fall back!" Lennox repeated, as Megatron crippled the Jazz. He grunted in pain as he crashed into the ground, fully aware of just _what_ was advancing upon him and still not fleeing.

As if my eyes were not my own, they flew over to a pile of rubble. They zeroed in on an up-thrust crater in the street, on top of which had landed a minivan. It was flaming, but the van had landed at an angle, its back end jutting upwards. My brain flew with the speed of a supercomputer, judging the height and angle of everything. It was perfect.

Megatron was coming into range. If I could _just_ get there, with _just_ enough speed, I could _maybe_ meet his knee.

Concentration's never been my forte, but now I felt like a Zen master. My mind was locked. I saw every foothold, every hole, every edge, and mapped a path upwards. Every movement was a carefully calculated action, pushing upwards and onwards off the rubble. My muscles were on fire, but the raw fury burning through my soul was hotter.

UP! Off the outthrust spike of concrete and onto the roof of the car. My shoes didn't even slip. _How_ was I doing this?!

It didn't matter.

Everything slowed down. I didn't have a plan, I probably didn't have a minute left, but not an ounce of me cared. Getting there was all that mattered.

My feet launched me into a soaring leap, from the top of the van, at the height of my speed, I screeched Jazz's last words.

"YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME?! _YOU WANT?!_ _ **A** **PIECE?!**_ "

* * *

 

_***3** _ _**rd** _ _**Person POV*** _

Jazz knew what was coming. Megatron was right behind him, advancing. Frankly, he was doomed. But did that mean he would give up? No. He'd keep fighting till his spark gave out. He owed everyone at least that.

There was a shrill noise, expelled from something tiny. Amongst the many sounds of battle, it stood out. Why? For all its lack of size, it was _raw_.

Before the Jazz could turn to find the source, there was a surge of unimaginable power. Blinding light and deafening thunder accompanied it. Even from facing the opposite direction, Jazz was blown away. He wasn't physically thrown, but his inner systems were. He was disoriented in a way that most Cybertronians had never experienced. If he had been human, his condition would have been comparable to being almost knocked out. Extreme dizziness, ringing ears and colorful shapes before the eyes would have been his symptoms. The ground seemed to be shaking. Things were falling, hitting him. Everything in him reeled, scrambling to right themselves.

Regaining some cognition, Jazz smacked the side of his head with his hand to speed up the process. Good, he could see again. Still on the ground and physically stunned, the silver bot heaved up into a crouch and turned towards the source of the power surge. Only one thing he had experienced had that kind of energy signature.

Surprise is an inadequate term to describe Jazz's reaction to what he saw. There, just behind him, lied the great hulk of Megatron. He had _fallen,_ taking out a while building as he toppled over, his upper half hidden in dust, bricks, and rubble.

But that wasn't the strangest part. Not one fourth of the way up the Decepticon's leg, sitting up and gazing about, blinking, in a dazed, delirious state,

Was Iris.

* * *

 

* _ **1**_ _ **st**_ _ **Person Iris***_

… _I…_

… _What?_

… _What happened?_

I felt like I saw seeing, hearing, feeling, _existing_ through a thick, thick cloud.

Where was I?

My eyes struggled to focus. I couldn't hear much, just my own breathing and my heart thumping irregularly. Naturally, something shiny caught my attention. I turned my head, struggling to keep it upright, and tried to focus through the fog.

Shiny. Metal. Sliver. Body. Head. Mask. Bright blue visor.

Jazz?

Emotion conveyed through the gears in his face as easily if he'd had muscles instead of wires. Optics wide, mouth agape, he was staring at me with this astonished, bewildered look.

_Why?_

Whatever I sat on began to move. It was sleek but poky, uneven, and roasting like metal left in the sun. None of that made any sense.

My senses seemed to snap back to me as they sensed more potential danger, which ended up being Jazz coming at me quickly. He snatched me up and immediately began running. His claws more cupped me than clutched me, like a person running with an egg. Then everything went upside down, inside out, topsy-turvy, and bam! I was sitting in the driver's seat of a Pontiac Solstice GXP.

"What were you _doing?!_ " Jazz's voice came from the radio. "What did you _do?!_ "

Sitting unbuckled, I turned around to look out the review window. Megatron was rising, pulling himself up out of the remains of a brick building he'd fallen into. How had that happened?

"I was…" My mouth flapped like a fish as I tried to form words. "I…"

Terrified shakes started again. I clutched the back of my seat for dear life. Just peeking out around the corner, I saw the leader of the Decepticons glare in our direction.

But Jazz was faster. In out of debris with crazy speed and skill, soon the monster was no longer in sight. At a safe distance, Jazz suddenly took a tire-screeching turn into a narrow alley. His driver door popped open. He did not hurry me, and was patient enough to allow me to detach myself from him at my own pace, even though I could sense his urgency. As soon as I was out, he flipped to his robot form again.

"Look at me," he ordered in a low voice, grabbing my face between his finger and thumb-eske digits. It hurt, but not extremely. Not like he'd had any practice being delicate with squishy humans anyway. Still too disoriented to do much, I obeyed.

Jazz lifted his visor brought his face very close. Not too close, or he would lose focus on me, but still close. Electric blue optics burned into my eyes. I watched lenses zoom in and out, searching, searching… Then pan out to take in my entire face.

"You could have been _killed!_ " he told me, releasing his pinching hold. He sputtered, sounding partially electronic, and partially warm, like a living being. "You- You were- That energy- Doesn't make any- _How?_ "

My brain reeled to understand what he was trying to say, which was hard to do when I was so fascinated by the inner workings of his face I could see up close. "I…don't know?"

Jazz made a sound of frustration. "Why were you even there in the first place, kid?" he asked. "You could have _died!_ "

Slowly, my mind was recovering. I remembered. What did I do? Had I really…?

" _You_ could have died." I repeated, with slightly more emphasis.

"What?" Jazz asked. "What do you mea-" He cut himself off and looked at me, beginning to comprehend for himself.

I met his eyes again and finally realized that this was unscripted.

The law of the movie had been broken.

Jazz was _alive._

My own eyes filled with tears of a new kind: Joy.

"… Iris," Jazz said slowly. I let him figure it out in his own time, watching him put pieces of the puzzle together in his head. "If you hadn't…" He began. "Would I have…?"

Tears streaked trails through the grime down my cheeks. "Jazz," I croaked, my throat tightening again. I'd never felt relief this strong. "I knew your last words."

Silence. Relative silence, at least, since the sounds of battle still continued outside. We stared at each other for what seemed like a long, long time.

Jazz's intensity fell, just a bit. His features, especially his optics, softened. "Kid, I-"

CRASH! An empty car slammed into the street and tumbled out of sight.

"I gotta get you outta here." Jazz finished, scooping me up once again. He didn't transform this time, but he was still plenty fast on his feet. In and out of crushed cars, buildings, and craters, he soon brought me right back to the street where I'd started. Mikaela had hotwired and retrieved the tow truck, as I knew she would, and she and Sam were working together to chain Bumblebee to the empty back. Bee saw us first. His eyes found me clutching for dear life to Jazz's hands, and tried to yell something I could not translate.

"Iris!" I heard Sam exclaim just before I was dropped into the Bee's open palms.

"Hang on to that one!" Jazz didn't so much order as suggest. "Don't let her out of your sight."

I looked back as Bee's hands curled protectively around me.

Jazz hesitated for a moment, staring at me again. His mouth worked as he tried to say something, but nothing came out. Nothing needed to though, it was written all over his face.

Then he dashed away.

"JAZZ!" I pushed myself up and yelled quickly, before he got too far. "Stay safe this time!"

In one swift, absurdly cool move, Jazz spun around while running. He sent a reassuring smile my way as his visor slid back down, before completing the 360 and heading back towards the battle.

Bee's grip tightened around me as he pulled me closer, and I knew I'd be lucky if he ever let go of me again. "Are you hurt? – Are you crazy?! - Where did you go? – What happened? – Why did you run off like that? – What did you do?"

I relaxed into the strong grip. I didn't mind at all, and I was going to be here a while anyway. I gave this one reply: "My job."


	13. Chapter 13

_***you hear music from off-screen*** _

_**WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELL DID THIS CHAPTER TAKE TOO LONG TO POST?** _

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_**YES!** _

_**WAS THIS CHAPTER WORTH THE LONG WAIT?** _

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_**PROLLY NOT!** _

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_**enjoy!** _

* * *

 

“ ** _ALLSPARK!_** ”

My heart dropped into my stomach.

He was _coming._

“WHERE IS IT? WHERE?!”

Every ounce of whatever bravery I’d had before was now gone. I pressed myself flat to Bumblebee’s hands as they curled around me, feeling like a dog cowering before an abusive master. I hated it, but some instinct – or some crazy delusion – screamed that his words applied to me.

I told myself that was impossible. He couldn’t have known it was I who… He couldn’t have seen me…right?

“I FELT ITS ENERGY!” He roared. “THE AUTOBOTS HAVE ALREADY HARNESSED ITS POWER!”

“Oh no,” Sam stuttered from below. “Ohnoohnoohnoohno he’s _coming!_ ”

As if he’d heard the boy, Megatron crossed onto our street. Without so much as a pause, he looked right at the lone Autobot at the far end of the street. Even from the distance, you could see his monstrous fangs part in a snarl. Then he charged.

That was all I got to see. On some unspoken cue, I slipped into one of Bumblebee’s hands as they parted. His right whirred into a cannon as his left pulled me down and away. Injured and clearly at the disadvantage, he was _still_ going to make one last stand against Megatron.

I curled into as tight a ball as possible, squeezed my eyes shut and awaited fate, listening to the thundering steps speed closer. This was unscripted. With Megatron no longer preoccupied with tearing Jazz in half, I had no idea what was going to happen. And from the way things looked, no hope for survival either.

_It’s all my fault._

Then came the roar of a powerful engine.

I opened my eyes to see the chain fences for the surrounding buildings being torn and plastic garbage bins flying out of the way.

WHOOSH! There was barely enough time to process the red and blue semi as it sped past us. Like the literal saving grace he was, Optimus Prime charged onto the scene, transforming for battle even as he raced forward.

Megatron saw him coming and came to a halt. Transforming in reverse, he tried to rise in his alien-jet mode, but even he could not escape the Prime. Optimus launched into the air and collided with Megatron with a titanic sound. Our hero clung on and did not let go, but the villain did not stop. Up they went, smashing clean through a building.

And then they were gone.

Nobody moved as we watched the building come down. Dust quickly covered the actual collapse, flooding up into the sky and out onto the street. We were far enough away not to get enveloped by the massive cloud, but the airy debris reached us in no time. It was strange to look at without screams of terror filling the air. Almost poetic.

The best word to describe what we felt would probably be awe. It didn’t even need movie magic with prolonged shots and deep music for effect; it was amazing in itself. We had been in immediate danger and then suddenly we weren’t. Optimus hadn’t stopped to dramatically transform, showing off a studio’s use of CGI. No words, no hesitation, only action. And we were saved.

Bumblebee broke the silence with three, pre-recorded words.

“That’s _my_ king.”

The teenagers snapped out of it. Well, Mikaela did. She got right back to work without so much as a word. Sam was still dumbfounded.

“Whoa,” he breathed, standing there agape.

“Sam.” Mikaela’s tone was almost as commanding as the soldiers’, and it was enough to get the boy moving again.

Shaking myself out of the shock, I attempted to go help them. I was almost able to push myself out of Bumblebee’s slackened hand before it readjusted its grip around me. I grunted in frustration. _Darn it._

“You’re staying right here.” Bee’s radio crackled.

“I gotta help!” This came out as more of a yelp than anything as Bumblebee’s other hand came around to hold me too.

“Don’t go running away from me *kzzt* Let them do their work *kzzt* You sit tight.”

“But-”

“Iris.” Mikaela’s voice interrupted. I turned to watch her quickly secure another hook around Bumblebee’s arm, hauling it into place with a strong yank. She looked back up at me, her face grim with determination. “We’ve got this.”

I wanted to protest more. I felt completely useless, being held onto and protected like a baby. I couldn’t just sit and do _nothing!_ But then again, I had no hope for control anymore. We were off script now and I had no idea how far we would deviate. I had nothing to offer anymore. Whatever the heck had happened back there with Jazz; they didn’t know about it, and I had no idea if or how I could do it again. Even if I somehow could and did, it obviously didn’t have any sort of lasting effect. Megatron had gotten back up, fully functional, after all. That, and I felt…emptied. Like a drained battery. Some force on instinct said I didn’t have it in me anymore.

So I sat still.

“Sam!” I turned my head at the sound of Lennox yelling, just in time to see a stray round detonate an explosion just behind the captain and his group of men. “Where’s the Cube?”

The boy looked up briefly at the soldier. “Right there,” he said, pointing to where it sat on the side of the truck. Once the Cube’s position had been confirmed, both went back to work. “Take that, wrap it around the base, and then around his neck.” Sam instructed, handing another hook to Mikaela, who turned to watch the soldiers run past. She kept doing so as she worked, like she was anticipating what was about to happen.

Right on cue, Lennox came running back. “Okay,” he said, stopping where Sam stood on the base of the truck. He ignored the teenager’s confusion and began giving instructions, heaving his gun onto the platform to free his hands. “I can’t leave my guys back there, so here, take this flare. ‘Kay there’s a tall white building with statues on top. Go to the roof. Set the flare, single the chopper-”

“No, I can’t do this!” Sam interrupted, only to get pulled down roughly by the collar.

“Listen to me! You’re a solider now, alright? Everybody’s a soldier until this is over. I need you to take this cube,” Will shoved the Allspark into Sam’s arms. “Get it into military hands while we hold them off, or a lot of people are gonna die.” Immediately, he turned to Mikaela. “You gotta go, you need to go,” he said, beginning to move her away.

She lifted her arms and shoved back. “No, I’m not leaving until I get Bumblebee out of here, okay?” Unlike Sam, she was unintimidated by the soldier. She held the captain’s gaze for a moment, eye to eye, before setting right back to work.

While Epps notified the incoming Black Hawks to where to pick up Sam, Ironhide and Ratchet had made their way back to the Cube. They had heard the plan and were ready to comply. “Sam, we will protect you.” The weapons specialist told the him.

Then the boy looked at me. His eyes were wide, and he looked very small holding the Cube. He was afraid, more so than before. I knew he felt the gravity of the situation. He was looking to me not for motivation or advice; for a straight answer. Sam wanted to know if he could do it.

My job couldn’t have been easier.

“You’ve got this, Sam! No lie!” I called down from my position in Bumblebee’s hands, slamming my fists down on his fingers for emphasis. “You’re gonna wreck ‘um! Now, get going!”

He gazed back at me, silent for a moment, before uttering an almost inaudible “Okay.” Tucking the Cube under his arm like a football, Sam started running for his escorts.

Mikaela did not move as he rushed past her. She bit her lip, and then her face changed. “Sam!” she called after him, turning around. When the boy responded, she jogged back up to him. Mikaela gripped the edge of his collar tightly with her fists, as if this was the last time she’d be able to touch him. “No matter what happens,” she said softly, so that if I hadn’t seen the movie I wouldn’t have known what she was saying. “I’m really glad I got in that car with you.”

The teenagers held eye contact for a few moments, something passing between them that I’d never been able to decipher. Then Sam nodded and stepped back, looking more determined than before.

“Sam! Get to the building!” Ironhide urged.

“Move!” Ratchet added.

Sam and Mikaela parted, each running to their line of work, just as a thundering roar shook the street.

“ **DECEPTICONS, ATTACK!** ”

I soon lost sight of Sam, huge craters in the asphalt making it impossible to see very far, but I watched Ratchet and Ironhide follow him closely. I let out a breath I didn’t know was holding, and relaxed my muscles a bit.

At an inquisitive noise, I turned back to Bumblebee. His eyes met mine, looking as if he were trying to discern whether I had been lying or not.

“He’ll make it.” I promised the Autobot. “He’s got this in the bag.”

After a moment, the Autobot nodded. Somehow, it seemed like that was good enough for him.

“Girl, get the tow truck outa here!” someone yelled as Mikaela went to fasten the chains behind Bumblebee’s back.

“I’m going, I’m going!” she shot back.

“Get outta here, now!”

“Do you need any help?” I asked, stretching up to look over Bumblebee’s shoulder. I figured I’d offer again since Sam was gone.

Mikaela didn’t respond. She just lodged the final hook and went to a series of levers on the side. Once she pushed the right lever, there was a jolt. I clutched onto Bumblebee tighter as his whole body began to move. The winches pulled taut and hauled the Autobot upwards into a sitting position.

Feeling more useless by the second, I decided I could encourage if nothing else. “Good job!” I called to her.

The girl looked over at me with a tired smile. “Not much difference between shoulders and fenders.” She breathed.

KRACK! What must have been a missile detonated extremely close to us. I was yanked down and away from the crux of the blast, but Bee could offer no such help to the teen.

“MIKAELA!” I yelled through the sounds of more rockets whistling by, exploding way to close for comfort. There was no way I could see her from my position, and I couldn’t hear anything but the ringing in my ears. _Oh God, is she dead?_

My answer came not in a reply, but in a sudden jolting forward. Through the collateral noise I could not hear the tow truck’s engine come to life, but at the speed we took forward, Mikaela must have floored it.

I hung on tight, as if I had a choice, as the buildings flew by. I turned my head to watch the far-off battle become even more distant. Away, away, away, until the fight could no longer be seen. We drove into the narrow alley between two buildings. There was another, perpendicular street ahead, but the vehicle slowed until it was moving forward only a foot at a time. Just short of the crossroad, we stopped.

Here it was quiet. The weapons, the destruction, even the sounds of massive bodies moving around; none of it could be heard anymore. But, like very distant thunder, you could feel it in your bones.

We sat silently for a while. Nothing I could say would influence Mikaela. Knowing what she would choose still gave me no right. It was her decision to make.

Hearing noises come from the cab, I started to climb over Bumblebee’s shoulder. Through the back window, I saw Mikaela’s face slowly pop up, looking out at us.

Bumblebee’s giant head nodded beside me, and my eyes widened in anticipation. She could do this. She was much more than capable of doing this. And I was so ready.

Mikaela turned back around in the cab. She wrenched the gearshift and we were off again. Out of the alley and into the street, pulling a sharp turn. On our way back to the battle.

With awful screeching and showering of sparks, Bee used what was left of his legs to dig into the fast-moving asphalt below. Clinging to me with one hand and the side of the truck with the other, he helped Mikaela swing back around. The truck spun and soon we were facing the direction of the battle again, the truck itself in reverse.

“IRIS!” I jumped at the sound of my name, and saw Mikaela through the window again. “Get up here!” she called urgently.

Bee loosened his hold on me, the hand holding me coming down to the street. I used it to launch off of, propelling myself forward to respond as fast as possible. The cab’s passenger door was flung open. Though not nearly as big as Optimus, the gap between the ground and the door was big enough to make me trip again, but my arm was caught and I did not fall again. Mikaela’s now grimy hands hauled me up and into the seat. “Seatbelt,” she muttered as I yanked my door shut.

Didn’t have to tell me twice. After clicking the old strap into place, I turned so that I was kneeling backwards on the seat. Sticking my arm and head firmly out the open window, I established myself as lookout.

“I’ll drive, you shoot,” Mikaela called up to Bumblebee, who answered her with appropriately angry, heavy metal music as his canon whirred to life.

Every hair on my body rose in anticipation. This was a scene I’d been waiting for. Going into it felt like going over the first crest in a rollercoaster, beginning the descent.

As Mikaela shifted the gear into reverse and floored the accelerator, what wrenched its way out of my throat must have been a ten-year old’s equivalent of a battle cry.

We flew backward with incredible speed. With Mikaela behind the wheel and Bumblebee shoving and firing each and every object out of our way, there was no stopping us.

“Hard to port!” I yelled as Bee’s pushing of another car sent the truck askew.

“What?!” Mikaela shouted back.

“Left! I mean left! WOO!” I yelled as we T-boned an abandoned car, sending it spinning away in a shower of sparks. “St- I mean right! Right!”

The scene of the battle was coming into view again. Little explosions riddled Devastator’s armor, soldiers popping in and out of ruined buildings to continue their fire. But they did no more than disorient the Decepticon. When it got its bearings back, they’d really be in trouble.

“SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT!” Mikaela howled over her shoulder.

Not one to waste time, Bumblebee attacked with a barrage from his own weapon. These made a sizable difference, even knocking the Decepticon off its feet. That, with the help of Bee’s shoulder-missiles, made quite the threat.

Devastator steadied himself enough to fire back a few times, but with the abuse he was receiving from Autobots and humans alike, his aim was anything but accurate.

“YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALEFT! LEFT LEFT!” I screamed, trying to remain helpful while enjoying the fight. “HOO! HANG ON!” I called back as Bee shoved another vehicle out of the way, sending us askew again. But not once did Mikaela stop, and we kept moving forward.

In no time flat, one of Bee’s fires hit home. A big, blazing fireball exploded in the face of the tank. With one final roar, it keeled over and tumbled into one of the ruined buildings where the soldiers hid.

“YOU GOT HIM! AAAAHAAAA!” I cried, falling back into my seat as the truck screeched to a halt. I popped the door handle, kicking it open with my foot as my hands undid my buckle. Disregarding the rollback, I all but face-planted in my haste to leave the vehicle. “That was SO COOL!” I exclaimed, running around to the front.

Bee lifted the flaps of his facemask with a finger, almost curiously, checking out the soldiers in the building.

I could have shown more concern, but I knew they were fine and was too excited to feel anything else. “Favorite scene! Right there! WOO!” I yelled, skidding to a stop in front of the Autobot, lifting my arms over my head in celebration. “I mean, it was always fun to watch on TV, but WOW!”

The Autobot saw my enthusiasm and smiled. He lifted his canon in triumph, posing heroically while my cheers turned into laughter.

Our driver took her own time exiting the truck. As Bumblebee pulled his canon back into a regular hand, the teen rounded the corner and said, “Nice shot.” What she did not expect was a little ball of adrenaline hurled at her.

“MIKAELA!” I yelled as I gripped her tightly around the middle. “That was so AWESOME! It’s the mostest-, most abth-,” my tongue moved faster than I could keep up with. “Absotuley-, where did you learn to do that?”

She gave a small, breathy laugh. “Demo-derbies, with Dad.” She explained, mussing my hair a bit. “I’ll take ya sometime, if we ever get outa here.”

I snatched my arms away, jumped back and grinned, too giddy for words.

“That tank is definitely dead now. Alright, let’s go!” Lennox ordered. “You girls alright?” he asked, jogging over to us.

“Didja see?” I couldn’t contain my excitement, turning to the soldier gleefully. “Wasn’t that cool?”

“Super cool,” Lennox spared me a small grin before calling to his men. “We’ve got civilians under our care now. Our top priority is their safety now. Gotta get ‘um outa the battle zone.” Back at us, he said, “Stay close, but stay back.”

Not really paying attention, I looked back at the body of Devastator sticking out of the ruined building. “Whoa, I breathed, walking towards it. “He’s still twitching!”

I was stopped and pulled in reverse by the back of my shirt. Struggling to keep up with the sudden force, I looked back over my shoulder to see Bumblebee.

“Stay with the Elves,” his radio told me, making me snort with amusement. “Be good *kzzt* don’t go looking for trouble *kzzt* and I mean it!”

For some reason, I actually let out a smile. “Don’t worry, Bumblebee,” I told him. When he released his pinch on my shirt, I spun around and grabbed his metal finger for a second. “I’m not gonna go do anything stupid.”

Looking into his face one last time, I let go of Bumblebee and went with the soldiers. We all started moving forward, Mikaela and I being pushed together. The teen took my hand, and together we went down the street. We ran in two loose lines, Mikaela and I restricted to the back except for one soldier covering our caboose.

Ahead, where the alley met the street again, a great thundering was approaching quickly. Not knowing its source, the soldiers pressed into the shadowy sides of the buildings, pushing Mikaela and I to do the same.

Blackout appeared, changing from helicopter to robot mode as he landed. The blades folded into a pair on his back, like wings on an insect. We watched quietly, pressing ourselves to the sides of the buildings as the Decepticon lumbered forward. More blades sprung from his right hand and spun into their own deadly propeller. Where was he heading? Right towards Optimus & Megatron’s final battle. Figures. Megatron wasn’t noble enough to take the Prime on with no back up. No ‘leave him to me’ for him.

Remembering what was next, I scanned the street for the… Wait a second. There was no motorcycle.

Of course! With the police perimeter, the motorcyclist couldn’t have gotten through. No epic Lennox-sliding-under-the-Decepticon scene? Dang!

How was this going to work then? The whole reason Lennox did that in the movie was to distract Blackout from the incoming jets. Now he couldn’t do that.

Oh no.

“Fighter jets in sixty seconds.” Epps muttered, just loud enough for humans to hear, then went back to the radio. “We’ve got friendlies mixed with bad guys. Targets will be marked.”

“Hey,” Lennox’s hand found Epps’ shoulder. “I’m gonna see my little girl, you understand?”

I scowled in thought. _How?_ This would become a disaster without the motorcycle!

Epps grinned. “What, like I don’t wanna see mine?”

“Then bring the rain.” The captain stood up, unslinging the rocket launcher on his back. “Let’s kill these things.”

As Mikaela and I started to get up, Donnelly grabbed our arms. “Stay here,” he not so much ordered as pleaded. “And don’t come out.”

The teen and I settled back into the shadows, pressing close to the wall in the dirt. “Fig!” I hissed, reaching out to grab the soldier as he ran by. “For God’s sake,” I said when he stopped. “Tell Epps to aim his laser low!”

Fig cracked a smile at that, nodded, and continued on.

Mikaela and I edged closer to the corner of the building.

We peeked around the corner and watched the soldiers get to work. They headed to our left, going back further down the street, finding outthrusts of debris to set up behind.

“Move, move, move!” “Remember: Armor’s weak below the chest.” If Cybertronian’s ears were as keen as I’d been lead to believe, Blackout must have been really focused on his task at hand. He didn’t hear any of the muttered orders directly behind him.

A green pinprick of bright light appeared on Blackout’s legs, flicking in and out over the armor. “Keep it low, keep it low,” I mumbled to myself, grinding my teeth out of anxiety.

I watched Lennox ready his rocket launcher, his stance much like that of a runner at the starting line.

Oh, but it wasn’t going to be enough! Lennox couldn’t run _that_ fast; Blackout would surely see him and stop him to death.

My teeth gritted. _No._ Lennox was going to see his baby girl, if I had anything to say about it. But there just wasn’t enough stacked on our side. With the lack of speed, they needed something else.

They needed a distraction.

Adrenaline coursing through my veins, I tore my body out of Mikaela’s arms and sprinted into the street with everything I had. I felt her hands claw at my clothing, trying to keep me there, but I escaped. Further back on the street, the soldiers were too far away to catch me and too smart to yell after me. But I heard someone’s footsteps turn also into a run.

Thank goodness he was stalking, walking slowly to try and get the jump on Prime. That meant I actually had a chance to catch up. And the angry roar of incoming jets, piloted by humans this time, was quickly approaching, threatening to drown out all other sounds.

I wasn’t afraid. Well, yes, I was, but that didn’t matter. Far more prominent in my head was this crazy, absurd feeling of…of _elation_! Truth be told I was still shaking, but I didn’t care. This was such a _rush!_ Maybe it was from the joy ride a few moments ago, maybe it came from what I did before, or maybe I was just going insane. Whatever the cause, I felt _unstoppable!_

_Here he comes, here he comes, here he comes!_

“HEY BLACKOUT!” I yelled, just was he was turning to face the incoming threat, rounding the Decepticon’s right side and running out in front.

His giant, insect-like face turned down at me. I felt that same red, cutting light that had been in Barricade’s eyes. Shivers went up and down my spine; not just fear. Anticipation.

I took a huge breath. I had no time to be afraid.

But just enough time to be stupid.

“ ** _U! G! L! Y! YOU AIN’T GOT NO ALIBI, YOU UGLY!_** ” I sang/screamed at the top of my lungs, clapping my hands in rhythm. “ ** _YOU UGLY!_** ”

Blackout’s optics narrowed at me in rage.

Oh yes. I was most definitely going to be squished.

But just as Blackout was lifting his foot, he was hit by another distraction. This came in the form of Lennox, sprinting between the two giant legs. He fired his rocket launcher twice up into the torso of the Decepticon, yelling and like a mad man.

I wasn’t able to catch much more before ‘Wild Bill’ smacked into me at full force.

Everything went topsy-turvy and painful after that. Disoriented both by the sudden movement and immense sounds dominating everything, I had no idea what was going on.

When I could comprehend again, I found my face pressed against asphalt. I couldn’t move my legs, and there was an immense weight on top.

It was Lennox. He took one hand and used it to push on my head, keeping me to the ground while he looked up. In a second he stopped, and I could move again. When I turned around, I saw the heaping, smoldering mass of metal that had been Blackout, leaking blue, sparking Energon.

“You got him!” I cried, shoving myself onto my feet, only to be grabbed again. I grunted as Lennox quickly threw me over his shoulder. Well, I probably deserved that.

“RUN! MOVE!” he called to his men, waving with his free hand before running down the street towards the fight. “I can’t believe you did that, kid,” I heard him mutter. “What the &$#% were you thinking?”

“The-ere was no-oh moh-ot-er-cy-cle-le!” I tried to explain while bouncing against his back. Geez, this was disorienting. “You-ou have to see-ee Ah-an-ah-abelle-ell-ell!” Yelping, I was yanked off his shoulder again. Feet back on the ground, my shoulders were grabbed.

Lennox’s face was in front of me again. “Look, I appreciate your help, I really do,” he told me in a rushed tone, yet it was bewildered at the same time. “I still can’t believe what you just did. If you really do know what’s going to happen and you just saved our @$%#$ back there, thank you.” He grabbed my head with both hands, making me look into his eyes. “But a warzone is no place for a kid. I wanna go see my little girl, but I don’t wanna lose somebody else’s in the process.” He lifted his head. “Hey!” he shouted, half greeting, half summoning someone.

I turned just in time to get a glimpse of Mikaela before I got caught up in a grip so strong I thought Blackout had come back to life.

“You and the kid gotta stay out of the line of fire, alright?” Lennox relinquished me to her. “Don’t let her go.”

“ _I won’t._ ” My blood ran cold at the underlying fierceness in Mikaela’s words. Good grief, she was scarier than the helicopter monster too.

The Captain nodded as Mikaela tucked herself and I down behind an outthrust of debris, then he left to join his men in charging towards the battle between Optimus and Megatron.

Again the teen and I peeked out to watch the battle, but this time Mikaela had learned. She clutched me with both arms, one around my shoulder, the other around my middle. There was no chance of escaping her this time. No more personal bubble between us, I guess. Not that I minded.

“Take him out!” Lennox cried, and on his words the group of soldiers and S7 men began firing at the silver titan. At the time I didn’t know what they were called, but handheld launchers plastered Megatron with mini sabot rounds. They didn’t even make a dent in the Decepticon’s armor, but they were sufficiently distracting.

“Laze targets!” Lennox yelled. “Hit ‘em, hit ‘em – _hurry_ , Epps!”

“I’m on it!” the tech sergeant replied. “Rain’s coming, get out your umbrellas!”

The angry roar of jets returned and with it came barrages of missiles. Mikaela pushed me down and we ducked for cover as the barrage hit Megatron. Great orange fireballs exploded tore through him, ripping through his outer armor. The whole street behind him filled with light and smoke, and missiles that hit their mark caused him to stumble and fall.

But still he did not stop. He’d seem as if he was going down, on his hands and knees, but up he would go again. He lunged forward, presumably for Sam, but got tripped up my Optimus’ massive arm. Facedown in the rubble, Megatron continued crawling forward. He was absolutely consumed with rage and greed, transfixed to the point of insanity on the Cube.

“Mine!” he could be heard growling through the city. “All Sparkle!”

I had to see this.

“Mikaela,” I grunted, grabbing her arm and pulling. “Look!”

The teenager understood my insinuation. There was a climax coming, and she wanted to see it too. And if this really meant the end, she didn’t have to cling on to me anymore.

“Sam! Put the Cube in my chest NOW!” Optimus shouted.

We stood to our full heights and watched. Mikaela relinquished her grip on my torso and took my hand instead. She gave it a squeeze upon seeing our hero on the ground while the villain rose again. Sam could not be seen, but he was there, and I squeezed back to tell her so.

“Sam!” came Optimus again, the desperation rising in his voice.

As this happened, I began to walk towards the scene. My hand drifted out of Mikaela’s, and for some reason, she did not try to get it back.

I felt like I had to witness it. The destruction of the Allspark was something like someone dying, a soul vanishing. It was such a sacred relic to the transformers, their literal giver of life. Its loss was such a tragedy, even if it needed to happen. Heck, I almost felt _blessed_ that it had shocked me. Yeah, I know that sounds weird, but I didn’t think so. Not now. I may not have been a Cybertronian, but it had touched me in some way. I had to watch it die. I owed it that much.

“No Sam!”

Every hair stood on end, and there was a blinding flash. My breath caught in my throat as I watched the Allspark disintegrate Megatron’s spark. It filtered upwards, held by Sam’s unseen hands, and burned into the Decepticon’s chest. Energy arched uncontrollably in every direction, crackling like lightning, spewing power like nothing I’d ever seen before. When the entire Cube had been used up, it left a bright, burning hole in the middle of the beast, who reared up, clutching at his spark cavity. With a guttural roar, Megatron fell back to his knees, writhing in pain. Noises that sounded like breathless gasping rasped from the giant’s fanged mouth, his eyes wide in both agony and shock. And then, back he fell, smashing back into the concrete with another massive convulsion.

Then, he was still.

My feet started forward again, but walking was becoming hard. Standing was becoming hard. Something like relief, only much, much stronger was flooding my soul. It exhausted me instantly, and as my eyes sought out Optimus, who stood up once again, my steps turned to staggers. I tried to keep my gaze steady, but everything began to spin. Noises got louder, colors blurred together, and my sense of balance was entirely gone.

Feeling my body fall to the concrete once more, my ears were able to pick out just a few more words among the noise. Practically a whisper, had it not come from such a massive source, I surely would have missed it. The deepness of his tone reverberated through my bones, and the deepness of his sorrow did the same through my heart.

“You left me no choice, brother.”

* * *

 

The next thing I remember was just feeling. Listening.

The warm softness beneath me.

The rhythm, the rumbling of a powerful engine.

The sound, the feeling of my breath slowly pumping in and out.

The immense, all-encompassing feeling of security.

It felt like heaven.

Except for the pain, of course.

It wasn’t until I started to focus on the pain that I really woke up. It was all a very dull ache, but I with my awareness of its presence came a question: Why? Why did I hurt? What had happened to hurt me?

I opened my eyes to see a shiny, polished dashboard covered in dials, knobs and switches of wood, metal, and custom flames, all of which glinted in the sun.

My eyes widened in realization. Optimus. I was back in Optimus.

I lifted my head and saw something that made me jump in my seat. Someone was driving Optimus. I sat, wide-eyed, staring at the man at the wheel. He looked like a truck driver, with a red flannel shirt and a white cowboy hat. He had dark hair under that hat, accompanying the dark mustache under his large nose. He was older, but his arms were thick with muscle, and the wrinkles around his eyes suggested that he smiled a lot.

Under different circumstances, I would have considered this man to look like a nice guy. But at the moment, I was terrified. Was I not really in Optimus? Who was this guy? Had he kidnapped me? Where were the others? What was going on?!

“Do not fear,” I was both startled and reassured by the sudden presence of that deep, familiar voice. “You are safe now.” Its presence stilled the rising of panic in me, but I remained confused. It was clearly Optimus’ voice, and it did not come from the man in the driver’s seat, but that didn’t explain who he was.

I swallowed thickly and asked, “Who’s that?”

“It’s what you humans would call a hologram. I felt that an additional element of disguise would be needed in order to leave the city.” The hologram turned and looked at me, giving me a warm smile. “What do you think of it?”

Now hold on a second. Now that I could see him head on, the guy looked familiar. He reminded me of Optimus himself, and even looked like the Prime’s deep voice would match the guy’s.

Then it hit me: Peter Cullen. Optimus had chosen a hologram that looked almost exactly like his voice actor from my world.

“… It’s perfect.” I all but whispered.

The hologram turned back to the front, continuing to mimic a human driving.

I sat silently for a while, and Optimus did not speak as it flooded all back. The battle, the driving, Jazz, the Cube, everything. Except, that’s where it ended. At the Cube.

“Optimus…” I spoke up, the name feeling foreign in my mouth. Once again I wondered at the fact I was actually talking to its holder. I didn’t think I’d ever get over it. “What happened?”

The Prime answered my question with a question. “What do you remember?”

Biting my lip, I tried to pick out which one of my memories had happened last. “The Cube.” I decided. “I remember, I watched it go up into Megatron, and then he died, and then…” I trailed off.

“Mikaela Banes witnessed you falling to the ground after the event.” Optimus explained. “She discovered you were unconscious and brought you straight to Ratchet.”

I hadn’t noticed that I was wearing a seatbelt, but I was twisting it anxiously. “What did he say?”

“You collapsed from exhaustion. Lack of sustenance was also a factor, as well as the after-effects of an adrenaline rush. Ratchet remarked that your fragile body had been put through quite the abuse in the past few days.”

“Mm,” was my only answer. I didn’t want to talk about me. There were much more important things to talk about. “So, where are we going now?”

“We are awaiting contact from Captain Lennox. More humans were inbound shortly after the battle, those who I fear are not trustworthy. The Captain provided Samuel Witwicky with a form of communication, instructing him to call the number under ‘Epps.’ While awaiting further instructions, we are falling back to a more secluded area.”

A strange but familiar scent caught my nose, and low and behold, I found a McDonald’s bag and cup, of all things, between the passenger and driver’s seat. The mere smell made my mouth water and my stomach ache. “Is that…?”

“For you, yes.” Optimus replied. “Samuel purchased it in the hopes that you would regain your strength.”

I could hardly keep myself from tearing the bag open. I sucked down most of the water in the cup right away. I was parched and so, so hungry. Inside the bag I found two McChickens and a large fry. How had he known…

“Bee!” I exclaimed, feeling awfully selfish for not asking before now. “Is he okay? Sam and Mikaela? Jazz? _You?_ ”

“We are all well, thank you. The outcome of the battle was quite incredible. We have emerged victorious and relatively unscathed. While the status on civilians is unknowable at this time, I am amazed at the lack of collateral damage. Our number of casualties is at a very improbable zero, which in part,” Optimus’ tone changed. “I have you to thank for.”

Fumbling with the wrapper around a McChicken, I forced words out of my mouth quickly. “It wasn’t just me! Sam did so much, but so did the soldiers. And Mikaela! Oh my gosh, she saved Bee, she saved the soldiers, she probably saved me a _lot_. They’re heroes!”

“And so they too shall be honored, but do not forget yourself.” Optimus replied. “My lieutenant tells me he owes you his life.”

I paused with the sandwich in my mouth, mid bite.

“We are in your debt, Iris. Thank you. You honor us with your bravery.”

How could I answer to that? _I’m really not a hero,_ but I couldn’t just _not_ accept his gratitude. Either way, my face was cooking, and I was feeling extremely bashful.

Chewing gave me time to think. Then I had to swallow, and give a reply. “You’re welcome,” I said softly, bowing my head. “I don’t even know how it happened. But…I’m just glad everyone’s alive.”

While my face burned what I’m sure was bright red, I began to feel something new rising inside of me. It was a warm, glowing feeling in my chest. Was this pride? Well, how couldn’t it be? The great _Optimus Prime_ himself was thanking me. _Me!_ Who didn’t deserve anything! If anything, I should be thanking him for the opportunity, for letting me tag along, for believing me. Whatever the feeling was, it certainly was positive. I felt…happy. Incredibly happy, and relieved. Now that I thought about it, I was overjoyed! We’d made it! We’d _all_ made it! There had been a script, a written order, and we had defeated it.

 _I_ had defeated it.

My hands stuffed more food into my face as tears began to trickle down my cheeks. _Don’t cry, don’t cry!_ I berated myself. _You have nothing to cry about!_ I all but choked on my fries, forcing myself to slow down. Though coughing, I was careful to not make a mess in the Prime, making sure everything that came out of the bag went either into my mouth or back into the bag.

Optimus hadn’t said anything while I ate, but now he spoke up. “Are you alright?” he asked.

His words brought more tears to my eyes. “I’m fine,” I replied, clearing my throat. “I’m just…” I drew my bandaged hand across my eyes. “I’m so happy. Everything’s okay.” A wide, real grin broke out onto my face, and I murmured to myself. “We made it. Everyone’s okay.”

Everything in me seemed to still after that. A great overarching sense of peace filled me. I was brave enough to lean back in my chair again, and sigh.

_Thank you, God._

Something caught my eye. It was what appeared to be a loose cord, dangling from the ceiling above the driver’s seat, looping back up to the top again.

Was that…?

No. It couldn’t be.

I mean, yes, Optimus was disguised as a semi-truck, but that didn’t mean he had all the features of one. Sure, everything _looked_ like it would in a real truck. Felt that way too. Sounded that way, smelt that way… But there was no way. No way that cord could actually be his-

“Would you like to pull it?”

All but jumping in my seat, I realized I had been staring. Not eating, not talking, nothing but staring. Geez, was I really that obvious? How pathetic was I! My face burned even hotter as I struggled to come up with words.

“I would not mind.”

Oh my gosh, really, what’s more reassuring than Optimus’ deep voice speaking softly? Nothing, that’s what, let me tell you. And I had to admit… I could not deny, that I… I wanted to.

Gulping, I all but stammered out, “Really? Are…are you sure?”

“Come, little one. You have my permission.”

My heart leapt in my throat, pounding like a hummingbird’s. Slowly, I undid my seatbelt as the hologram in the driver’s seat disappeared. Timid as a mouse, a cautiously crawled over the divide between the seats, and knelt in front of the giant wheel. The window beside it was open, and it blew thick, warm air into my face, buffeting my hair and cheeks. This alone was enough to send adrenaline through my veins again. Carefully, I got into a crouch. I held on to the back of the seat for support, and stretched upwards until my fingers made contact with the cord.

I paused. After all I had gone through, after all that had happened, was I really going to do this? Had I really come this far? Had I really earned this right?

…

Yes. I had been given an impossible task, but I had completed it. I had won.

I made a fist around the cord, and pulled down, hard.

 **HOOOOONK!** The mighty horn blasted, filling my eardrums and my heart. The mere volume startled me, making me let go of the cord. I didn’t think anything I could do could ever make a sound that loud. I paused, but then a smile spread across my face.

I grabbed the cord with both fists and pulled again.

**HOOOOOOOOOOOONK! HONK HONK! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!**

My laughter could barely be heard as I pulled the cord, filling the whole desert with the sound of victory.

 _My_ victory.

* * *

 

Eventually, Optimus stopped driving. He pulled off the highway and rolled into a flat part in the desert. One of those huge rocks that begged to be climbed loomed ahead, and it was behind there that he came to a halt.

Having finished my food, I crumpled up the bag and took it with me as I jumped out the self-opened door. My feet made a puff of dust as they hit the ground, making a little cloud in the air. I knew to quickly make room, because I doubted Optimus wanted to stay in vehicle form.

Stepping a good distance away, I saw other vehicles heading off the highway towards us. I counted Ratchet, Jazz, Ironhide, and Bee. No military vehicles, just the Autobots. They too pulled around the rock, coming up front as the Prime was transforming.

Ratchet’s sudden proximity nearly made me jump out of my skin. “Good! The juvenile female is conscious.” He said, coming towards me very quickly. I tried to back away to allow room, but was stopped by something behind me. The medic gently cupped my back with his hand, pulling me forward. “You’ve been putting too much stress on your body the past few days. Hrm,” he used one of his fingers to carefully lift one of my arms for his scanner. “We’ll have to keep an eye on these wounds to ensure they heal properly.” The bright blue lights of his eyes flashed into mine. “You have some recovering to do, my dear, and I must insist that you properly nourish and rest yourself.”

“Uh,” I replied intelligently. “Okay. Sam got me some-, Sam!” I cried, noticing just in time to see the teenagers running over to me.

“Iris!” I heard Sam yell as I was suddenly swept up. I realized Sam was hugging me tight to his chest, lifting me into the air. “Oh my gosh, you’re okay! Did you see what happened? Do you know what I did? It was bat-$&%# crazy!”

“Sam!” I heard Ratchet say as I struggled to breathe. “You are cutting off the girl’s oxygen supply. I heavily advise you to desist.”

“Oh, sorry,” Sam placed me back on the ground, taking me by the shoulders. I looked up and found an incredible smile on my face. “You were right! We made it! Everyone’s okay!”

 _Oh, good grief,_ I thought as I grinned back. _Here come the waterworks again._

Mikaela’s hand took Sam’s in a very gentle gesture, then pulled him out of the way. “Come here,” she said softly, wrapping her arms around me and holding me close. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah,” I squeaked against her chest. _Don’t you dare cry, stupid!_

“There’s the lil’ girl who saved my life!” I heard Jazz say.

My face went hot again, but I turned to face the silver Autobot. His mask was up again, so I could see his eyes along with his grin. He smiled with his whole face, like the best smilers do. He came down in front of me, turning a crouch into a suave bow. “Little lady,” he said, “I still don’t know how you did it, but I just gotta say thank you. I woulda been Megatron-meat back there if you can’t come save my butt.” He brought one of his hands forward, curled into a first, up to me. “I owe you my spark.”

Oh geez, I was about to start giggling like a maniac. Or burst into flames. Or both. Either way, I managed to hold both in and return the first-bump with a grin.

“What’s all this talk about?” Ironhide asked, looming over Jazz. “Don’t tell me you needed _this_ tiny thing to save your hide.”

“Yo, ‘Hide!” Jazz greeted, ignoring the implied insult. “Man, you shoulda seen it! It wasn’t like anything I’d ever seen before! One second I thought I was a gonner, the next, boom! Big bright light! I turned around, and there was Megatron on the ground, with this little tike sitting on top!”

I didn’t know whether to be amused or afraid of Ironhide’s face, especially when it turned to me. “How?” he asked.

I shrugged.

“Huh,” the weapons specialist grunted. “So, you’re not stupid.” He told me. “You’re brave _and_ stupid.”

I figured that was the closest I’d get to a compliment out of him.

“Hey, lay off, Ironhide,” an unfamiliar voice interjected. It sounded younger that the other Autobots, but it was also warm, and held a slight British accent. “I think we owe the kid a lot.”

Something in me rose at the sound of those words. Turning towards its source, I saw a black and yellow figure come out from behind the giant black robot. The wing-like features on his back rose, and he gave me his best rendition of a smile. “Hi, Iris.”

“Bee!” I was running. My feet were pounding in the dust, kicking up a cloud around me as I ran. “You’re okay! You’ve got your legs back! You can talk!” The dust puffed up into my face as I skidded to a halt, blurring out his features in the sun. Then, a giant hand came down and scooped me up from behind.

“Yeah, I can talk!” he said on the way up out of the dust cloud, high above it actually. “You’re not gonna be able to shut me up now!”

I laughed at his words. My ascent came slowed to a stop, and I looked up at my friend. His blue optics were just about the kindest things I’d ever seen.

No longer could I hold back. I launched myself forward, and my arms wrapped around his neck as best they could. I turned by face to the side and squeezed with all my might, safe in the knowledge that I could hug him as tightly as I wanted and it wouldn’t hurt him. Knowing it was only a matter of time before the embarrassment set in, I made use of the time I had. When it did arrive, I pulled myself back.

Bumblebee’s face wasn’t bad. It wasn’t annoyed, or disgusted, or angry. He looked happy too, if inquisitive. “What was that?” he asked.

My face was burning, and bright red I’m sure. “What was what?”

“That thing you just did. Sam and Mikaela did it to you, now you did it to me.” Bee elaborated. “The squeezing thing with your arms. What’s it called?”

Could my face get any hotter? “Oh,” I replied, wringing my hands. “That’s um… That’s called a hug. It’s uh… It’s something humans do when we, when we, um…” And now I was looking away. _C’mon, why so shy?_ I’d been hanging out with Bee since I’d gotten here. I’d cried for him, laughed with him, fought for him, and he certainly didn’t _dis_ like me, but… “We do it when we care about someone, like…our friends.”

_Ohhhhhhhhhh no he’s not answering. Ohhhhhhhh no this is awkward. OHHHHHHHHHHH WHAT DID I DO?_

“You’d consider me your friend, Iris?” Bee asked me.

Well, he deserved an answer, so I lifted my head to look at him. “Yeah,” I replied, my voice very soft. I felt like a glass figure, about to shatter. “Is…is that okay?”

Bee’s cheek-plates rose in the biggest mouthless smile I’d ever seen. “Duh!” he exclaimed. “Of course it’s okay! I’m proud to be your friend.”

…

I was going to burst. I was going to combust into a bright little ball of pure joy. I’d never, ever been happier in my entire life.

Before tears could burst out of my eyes, I leapt forward and demonstrated what a hug is again. I felt Bee’s hands move, holding my tiny body and pressing it closer, as gently as possible. He was trying to imitate the gesture. “So this is a hug, huh?” he asked no one in particular. “Nice.”

The other conversations that had been happening around us were interrupted by a suddenly loud, yelling Ratchet.

“ **Samuel Witwicky, you fed the child _what?!_** ”

Bumblebee and I pulled away and looked at each other. I felt laughter bubbling up inside me, coming out in a snort as I tried to force it back. As I threw my hands over my mouth, Bee’s voice betrayed him a similar sound. His shoulders were shaking, and his optics were shining.

“I told you not to tell him,” I snickered, my voice rising in pitch.

“But he found out anyway!”

At the same time, we burst out into raucous laughter. We were being stared at by Cybertronians and humans alike, one of which who was rather steamed, but we didn’t care. Laughing childishly, freely, at something only we understood.

There wasn’t a better feeling in the world.

* * *

 

_**Alright, assuming that wasn't TOO terrible and you guys don't hate me ENTIRELY, I want your input on something.** _

_**What do you think about Bumblebee having a mouth? See, in Transformers Prime Bee couldn't talk for a long time, and he had this thingy over his mouth so it looked like he didn't have one. When he could talk again, it got removed. Should I do that here? OR, see, I've always liked the idea of Cybertronians' faces not being strictly human-like. For example, if you look at the Autobot's faces in Age of Extinction, their faces are basically just metal-plated human faces. Not really any differences in basic structure. In my opinion, they got too 'humanized' or whatever. So I don't want that to happen to Bee. BUT, on the other hands, don't most Cybertronians have the same basic features? Two eyes, two arms, two legs, a mouth; you know, for the MOST part.** _

_**Long story short, should I write Bee with a mouth, *click* or no? I'll prolly go with the majority vote here. Just keep in mind I could do some gags with Bee not having a mouth. Just something to think about.** _

_**2nd and MUCH LESS IMPORTANT THING: when I'm writing the Autobots, I sometimes have different voices for them in my mind than the ones they had in the movie. Optimus, Ratchet, and Ironhide all stay the same for the most part, but Jazz and Bee never sound like they did. I've always got G1 or Animated Jazz's voice in my head, perhaps blending with the movie version. For Bee, it's almost always Prime's version, although Animated's sneaks in there sometimes too (BUT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT). For this, I decided to blend that Prime voice with a little bit of the British accent he had in the movie.** _

_**MY USELESS POINT BEING, it honestly doesn't matter to me how you hear their voices. Hear them how you'd like! But just out of curiosity, I'd like to know what you hear. Who's voice pops up when this character speaks, you know? Just the first one that comes to your mind. Just an experiment, thanks!** _

_**One more thing: I'm gonna try REALLY hard to reply to any questions you have in the reviews from now on, as long as the answers don't reveal any key plot-points. But other than that, ask away! I am a lonely egg who would like to talk to you more.** _

_**Thbbt, well that's about it, folks! Sorry again for the wait. I really, truly regret letting it take this long. I'm trying to be better about it, I promise.** _

_**Love you!** _


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